Sleep State
by That Fangirl Author
Summary: What if one day you woke up and couldn't remember who you were? Sometimes we find love in the most unlikely place, but will Christian & Ana let their untimely romance die once the truth of their reality is revealed? Let love awaken you.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - Ana**

Outside the window of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the sun rose in the east for the fifth time. Each day the night sky would glow and brighten until the light broke the horizon and morning had made its daily welcome. This one was no exception.

For the past five days, Anastasia Steele watched the beauty of what dawn looked like as she sat behind the counter scribbling notes, checking files, and counting the minutes until she was off the clock. A single check mark was made next to the present date on the calendar. Silently, she congratulated herself. She had made it through her first week as a registered nurse. And what a week it was.

No matter how much training she had gone through nor the countless hours she had dedicated to reaching her newly desired title, she had not prepared for the week she had just endured.

In the grand scheme of things, she had entered the medical field to help people, to nurse them back to life and reality. She had not anticipated the constant weeping, mindless complaints, foul language, and vomit stained scrubs. Sure, all of it came with the territory, but that didn't mean she had to like it. The thought of being cursed out for simply doing her job happened on more than one occasion and it was exhausting to be someone's punching bag time and time again. She had been warned of the temporary, but frequent tenants on her assigned floor when she had accepted her position. It was all common knowledge diving into her first week, and yet she still felt like she had not been mentally and physically prepared for it.

Ana moaned at the imprinted memories of her first week and sighed some relief knowing she was only minutes away from her first and only day off. Thirty-six hours away from the madness that erupted during the night shifts and then she would be back at it again.

"Room 42." A blonde middle-aged woman named Sandy approached her desk and slammed a chart down. "Just never shuts up, even at this hour."

A veteran in the field, Sandy had been her mentor and seen and heard it all. Every horror story imaginable, Sandy had the front row seat. Under her eyes, she wore dark bags. Ana wondered if she would to one day. She patted the soft, tight skin under her lashes and prayed she wouldn't.

Smiling politely in response, she knew Sandy had come to vent. The nurses station, where everyone gathered, collected their patient information for rounds and caught up on data entries was also known as "the bitch station". Passing nurses put their two cents in about their patients as they dropped and picked up files. Some cursed under their breaths while others like Sandy held nothing back. After her first night, she caught on quick and gladly joined in. She hated to talk behind others back, but sometimes venting was her only option unless she wanted to pent up her frustration and lose some sanity.

"So the first week on the job, how was it?" Sandy asked.

"Interesting." The only word that came to mind and was surrounded with sarcasm.

"Hate to break it to you kid, but it only gets more _interesting_ the longer you work here." She laughed but showed no sign of joy behind it. The pile of folders stacked high in the tray next to her and she added to it. "You did great though. I've never seen someone under so much pressure in their first week handled it as well as you did."

"Thanks." Ana bowed her head.

A blinking room number on the computer screen lit up followed by a corresponding beep that alerted them both. One of the patients was requesting assistance, whether it was seriously needed or not. Most of the time, it was urgent, but the few repeat offenders and big time abusers of pressing the red button made them all moan with annoyance whenever it went off.

"Room 42," Ana announced. The excitement in Sandy's face was nowhere to be found.

"What the hell does she want now?" She groaned. "Well, seeing as you're almost off, have a great day, Ana. I'll see you back here on Sunday."

"Good luck with Room 42."

Mumbling something incoherent, Sandy stalked off with her chart again and down the hall. Ana's gaze returned to the beauty outside the window and soon she found herself lost in it as time ticked on.

Saturday 6:35 a.m.

Ana rubbed her tired eyes as she climbed into her small compact car and started it up. For the first time all week, she would not have to fight the morning city traffic and she was grateful for that. The thought of her soft mattress and fluffed pillows sounded inviting and the faster she could get to her warm bed, the better.

Following the arrows that brought her from the second floor of the parking garage down to the main level, she turned right onto Huron Street. Her prediction had been correct. Only cabs filled the normally busy streets with the occasional business men and women behind the wheels of their fancy cars. Early morning risers in their fitness wear jogged up and down the now vacant sidewalks. The honking of horns was a distant sound that would soon echo with more frequency as the hours of the morning grew on. This was the quietest she had ever seen the city and she soaked it in knowing it would not last long.

In the rearview mirror, she saw the sun rise in the east completely over the horizon that was Lake Michigan. While most rose with the beauty she saw behind her, she said goodnight. Ana cranked the catchy pop song on the local radio station louder in her attempts to keep her senses alert and awake as she drove home. It's electronic beats and auto-tuned voices made her cringe. Never one to have fallen asleep at the wheel before, she didn't want to risk it now. Usually, the traffic was enough to keep her mind from drifting, but seeing as that was not the case she opted for her built-in substitution.

As she passed the highly commuted streets like Michigan Avenue and State Street, she pressed her foot on the accelerator hard exceeding the speed limit just enough to not draw the attention of any cops. The quicker she got home, the happier she would be. Her destination was so close, yet so far. A few more blocks and another right turn was all it took.

On the north side of the city she lived with her roommate, Kate. Only residing in their tiny, narrow brownstone for a month, Ana missed the life outside the city zone. Slow paced and less of a headache, she adored the suburbs, but wanting to explore the city and after much persuasion from her best friend, she decided to make the move.

On a good day like this one her commute wasn't bad, but most days were brutal. Weaving in and out of traffic and fighting for a space within reasonable walking distance from her brownstone only added to her exhaustion. She had been warned to dare the streets behind the wheel of her car, and now she understood why. After today she would be opting for public transportation, no doubt about that.

With the hospital out of sight and lost in the sea of skyscrapers that Chicago was known for, she sighed. Who would of thought, a girl like her would be so lucky to find an open RN position at one of the best medical centers in the city? Fresh out of the pool of hopeful potentials, she was the one to land the job. It was no question on her list of hospitals to work for when she was weighing her options that Northwestern Hospital was the obvious choice. She would have been stupid to pass it up.

The street signals up ahead changed rapidly and she slammed on her breaks as yellow turned red. Her body jolted forward letting the edge of the seatbelt dig into her skin. As she huffed from the constricting impact, she scanned the intersection. Not a single car in sight, but her own. Temptation coursed in her veins to run the light, but she knew better than to tempt the law. Every intersection was equipped with cameras nowadays ready to capture anyone and make them pay the consequences of disobeying the law. It wasn't worth the fine. Instead, she waited patiently for the light to turn green and obeyed the rules of the road.

In the cup holder of her car sat her phone that flashed with new notifications. Two missed phone calls, both from Jose. Ana rolled her eyes and slumped in her seat. Maintaining focus on the distraction inside of her car and flickering her gaze nervously back at the stoplight, she checked what time the calls had been received.

_Oh, Jose_, she groaned to herself seeing both the calls had come in after midnight and were most likely made from an intoxicated state. Most likely he was trying to attempt to mend the rift that he had caused among them from the night before.

He had come over for dinner before she had to leave for her night shift at the hospital. Everything was fine. They laughed and talked over a local pizza from down the block, and then it got weird. As she cleaned up over the kitchen sink, he leaned in and kissed her. Quick and spontaneous his actions were they both blushed fifty shades of red. Immediately, she pushed him away and the apologies flowed like lava from his mouth. She should have seen it coming honestly. All the signs were there. It was no surprise Jose had a thing for her, even though she had strictly made it clear he was forever stuck in the friend zone many times. But that didn't stop him. Politely she had asked him to leave and with a quick turn on his heel he was out the door without a second thought. What he had done had changed

What he had done had changed things between them and she hated it.

The frustration inside her grew and she chose to ignore her phone not wanting to think about the Jose situation anymore. Her long, night shifts at the hospital had put the distance she needed between them. It gave her the time she needed to think about what to say. Eventually, she would have to confront him about his poor choice that had shifted their friendship, but for now, all she wanted was to think about the back of her eyelids.

As the light turned green, she pulled out into the intersection. Half way through, something changed. The deep desire to drift away into the depths of a sleep state called her name in the most pleasant voice. Ana shook her head and hit the gas pedal harder, but it her action failed. The world around her moved in a way she had never seen it move. Her vision blurred leaving nothing defined and faded to black. What was happening? It was like she was slipping away and there was nothing to hold on to. Had her body given up? Had the urge to get some sleep finally reached its limit? _No! Not here, _she inwardly cried to herself and fought the urge as hard as she could. But it seemed sleep could wait no longer. The wave that came over her was strong. Darkness dragged her away from reality and like that she out like a light.

With no knowledge of how much time had lapsed, she jolted awake.

Ana gasped for air and her body halted violently. Something was constricting her and cutting into the exposed skin on her neck. _Ah! S_he moaned and peeled it from her body giving her relief. A seatbelt had been what had stopped her and suddenly she was very aware that she did not know where she was.

"What the?" She murmured and unlatched the seat belt freeing her from her constraints.

How did she get her? Why was she here?

Her hands ran over the smooth console of the vehicle, the steering wheel, and then slowly back to her thighs. None it made sense. She was at a complete loss for any reason to how she ended up in the car.

As Ana contemplated her new found whereabouts, a terrifying discovery occurred to her. Why couldn't she remember how she got in the car? She had no memory at all. Not a single ounce of it came back to her. Any moment from before now was a blank page. "Holy fuck." Ana exhaled.

A cloud of thick fog lingered in her head and it only got worse the more she tried to find logic in the situation. There had to be a reason she couldn't remember, right? But what if there wasn't? Just the thought sent her spiraling into a panicked frenzy. The only thing she did know for certain was that she was alive, breathing uncontrollably, and freaking the fuck out.

With the sudden urge to bolt, her fingers trembled for the keys in the ignition, but only found empty air. No keys? Ana slammed her back into the seat and huffed loudly. Not entirely sure of where she planned on going, all she knew was she wanted out. She wanted to run. Maybe it was the adrenaline or the fear of the unknown haunting her, but she needed out of this car. The idea of not knowing anything suffocated her. In the attempts of hoping she living out a bad dream, she closed her eyes. But when she opened them again, the same setting presented itself. Placing her hands together in praying motion she rested her fingers on her chin and whispered, "God help me."

Outside the confines of the vehicle, she saw lonely streets hiding in the shadows of the tall buildings that rose many feet above her. Was she in the city? What city? And where was everyone? Where was the madness that thrived in a place like this? Ana carefully opened the door of the car and stepped out half expecting the ground to crumble below her. Anything seemed possible right now.

To her surprise, the ground was sturdy and solid. She stomped her foot on it to make sure. When it didn't move, she breathed a sigh of relief. Ana stepped away from the car circling the middle of the intersection of where she had started this strange journey from. Nervous that she was not fully intact, she examined every inch of her body from head to toe. When she looked down, she noticed she was wearing dirty scrubs from a hospital. Was this her first clue? Were these hospital scrubs a sign of who she was or where she had come from? Why else would she be wearing an outfit like this if she didn't? It was such an odd clothing choice to wear otherwise. Why did this have to be so damn complicated?

Observing the deserted four-lane streets, she searched for a sign of life. No human, no animal could be found. She wondered if anyone even existed at all, which led to the depressing thought that she might be all alone. Why was she alone though? Where was everyone else? They all couldn't just disappear, could they? Ana hugged herself knowing the likelihood of coming in contact with another form of life in this mystery world that she had entered was unlikely. At least it had seemed like it at the moment. What had she done to deserve this?

What had she done to deserve this?

She needed answers.

Upon following her curiosity, she walked toward the corner of the intersection where a diner sat. No lights, no life. It was dark on the inside and her stomach growled from hunger. She peered over her shoulder and walked up to the door. It swung open and she stepped inside afraid of what could happen. Alone and terrified, she wished for a sign to tell her why she was here. She prayed for it as she paused and closed her eyes giving it another shot. Did this alternative universe even have a God? Ana's eyes swelled with tears accepting that she was very much by herself and vulnerable, a feeling she did not like.

Over the counter, she saw chip bags hanging from a line. Her stomach urged her to grab one, but she didn't feel right stealing. With no money, how could she repay the diner for taking some food? _You're alone you idiot. Just take the bag_! Her subconscious screamed and she looked around once more to make sure. There was no one to stop her. Not a voice of reason but her own to keep her from committing a crime. Ana leaned over the counter and snatched a bag letting the familiar sound of it popping open greet her. Diving her fingers into the bag, she shoved her face in the salty chips. Her stomach thanked her immediately.

Sinking to the ground, she ate and wept. This vicious cycle of self-pity continued as she grabbed another bag and let the tears fall down her cheeks. She honestly could not think of why she deserved to be brought here? Her track record was clean or so she hoped. With no memory of a life before, she had the only assumption of wondering that she had definitely done something wrong to end up like this, but what?

It could be anything and yet she would never know.

Almost completely slipping away and drowning herself in another bag of toxic garbage, a noise from outside the diner startled her. For a place with no life, she jumped to her feet out of curiosity. The car that she had exited remained in place and untouched. That couldn't be it. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw it, another car. How had she not seen it before? Had it been there without her knowing it? She swore the car she woke up in was the only one in the vicinity. It was like this other car appeared out of thin air. Ana quickly ducked and crawled her way over to the nearest booth to get a closer look. As she did, she gasped louder than the noise that had just alerted her that she may not be alone.

There was someone else here.

The first thing she saw was head of dark, disheveled hair that appeared from the other side of the car. It was a man and she sunk lower in the booth as she continued to watch him secretly from the safety of the diner. He appeared dazed and confused, just as she had been when she first stepped out of the car. The white button up shirt he wore was wrinkled and half sticking out of his black dress pants. His skin glowed like the sun had treated him well and he wore a five o'clock shadow that made him appear older. Whoever he was, he was beautiful. Beautiful and lost. The way he spun around searching for something imaginary told her he had was about as clueless as she was. Just as she was getting used to admiring his beauty from afar, he locked eyes on the tiny diner she occupied. _Shit!_

No longer staying put beside the car, he made his way toward her. Ana quickly slid out of the booth as stealthy as she could and crawled on the floor in a hurry to hid behind the counter. Her heart raced as she crouched carefully out of sight. A few seconds later, the door to the diner chimed open.

She was no longer alone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Ana**

_Please leave. Please leave_, Ana whispered.

All this time her mind yearned for some company, yet the moment she saw someone else her conscious flipped a switch and warned her to be wary. In an unknown place all by yourself with no memory at all was sad. But to be alone with a stranger was a breach of safety. Ana panicked quietly.

With the very obvious sign that she was no longer the only roaming soul in this place, she wondered who the mystery man was? Did he share the same predicament as her? Why has he come here, out of all the places he could have gone? Had he seen her watching him from the booth outside? The insanity of questions wildly consumed her.

Out of sight and crouched down behind the tall counter, Ana listened to him as he paced the tile floor. Walk, walk, pause. Walk, walk, pause. It was almost rhythmic caring a personal beat. He continued to wear out a path on the floor for about a few minutes before her heart leaped into her throat. Crash!

Unable to see what he was doing, the sound had made it clear. The metal stools with the maroon cushioned seats that lined the counter went toppling over bumping into one another violently one by one. Each crash startled her and she gasped loudly quickly covering her mouth knowing it was no use. Any sound she made right now would only be lost in the tirade she could not witness.

If he was going through what she was experiencing, she could understand his frustration and why he lashed out. He had every right to lose his mind because it wasn't hard to when every time you thought your mind only came up blank. Honestly, a part of her wanted to join, but she remained hidden with her legs curled up close to her chest.

After what seemed like a never-ending battle with the objects in the diner, his rage subsided and she let her shaking hand drop from her mouth. Her heart thumped vigorously.

A low groan escaped him and she listened to his every movement and breath like her life depended on it. How could she reveal herself now after the temper tantrum he had just performed? Slightly terrified by what his reaction might be Ana bit her lip hard contemplating the situation.

"What the fuck?" An exhausted sigh echoed from the other side. His voice low and tired.

Short and panicked, the sound of her breathing became sensitive to her ears. The littlest noise was about to give her away. _Coward_!, her inner thoughts screamed. Here she was hiding from what she had asked for, but wasn't it fair for her to do so? Completely out of her element, lost, and thrown into something she had no prior knowledge about had her on edge. This idea of the unknown rattled her bones and suffocated her without warning. Every where she looked and turned it followed her. Surrounded by a long list of question marks and unfamiliar scenery was enough to let her drift away and give up. It was overwhelming and now as another person had entered the picture, she was spiraling with madness.

But there was hope, right?

There had to be answers. The light would shine at the end of the tunnel. Deep down in the pile of panic and worry, she knew it. Somewhere in this mysterious universe she had stumbled into was the answer to everything. It was waiting for her to find it, and yet she continued to hide from it. A part of her, the part that stayed in the shadows of her former self told her that she was not one to run from her problems. How she knew this was beyond her, but it tingled inside of her anxious wary.

Ana closed her eyes and counted to ten. The only way she would find clarity in this situation was to stop hiding and make progress, which she couldn't do behind the counter.

Giving herself a quick pep talk, Ana began to rise from the floor holding her breath. It was now or never to make her grand introduction. As she did, she felt the sharp edge of the countertop make contact with the crown of her head. The contact between the countertop and her skull was loud and she cursed wincing in the instant pain it caused. "Ow, ow, ow, ow." The common phrase associated with such pain followed suit. _Oh, fuck!_

What once separated them from knowing of each other was no longer a barrier. A pair of eyes were upon her hunched over body as she held her head wincing at the pain. Under the palm of her hand a knot swelled and a headache formed. Just her luck. In her attempts to be brave, she had failed miserably.

Ana slowly shifted her gaze upward. When she finally met his stare she saw grey and wide eyes that conveyed the appearance of utter shock. The corners of her lips were forced to rise and she blinked furiously trying to collect the situation at hand.

"Do you work here?" He asked.

"Uh," Ana rubbed the sore spot on her head. Did she? Was that why she gravitated toward this place? The clothes on her body said otherwise. "I don't think so. No."

"Who are you?" His tone laced with power and demand.

"Um?" _Shit_! Who was she? That was the million dollar question.

Searching into the depths of what little memory she could conjur a name snuck past her lips as if it had been on the tip of her tongue all this time. "Ana." She paused soaking in how easy it was for her to say it. This was her name, _Ana_. She peered over at him waiting for him to say something in return.

"How long have you been here?"

"You sure do ask a lot of question." She teased and stood up as gracefully as she could. Those penetrating grey eyes stared at her as she removed her hand from her head.

Blinking a few times to let her hazy vision come into focus, she took in the sight of her company. At first glance he was every bit good looking, but up close and personal he was breathtaking. Tall with his shoulders held back, he gazed at her tiny figure too. They were both surveying one another with careful ease.

From her previous observation of him before she could only make out very little of his features. Now she noticed his dark copper colored hair and beautiful grey eyes. The white linen button down shirt that hung out of his black dress pants ruffled his perfect image that she assumed he tried to portray daily. A man of his beauty and stature would care about his looks to a degree.

He had a strong jawline that was covered in the tiniest hint of a beard. A five o'clock shadow as most men called it, but he wore it very well. Ana continued to study him, but her eyes naturally locked with his penetrating gaze. How had she been so lucky to be graced with the presence of a Greek God? But the reminder of his major mood swing that had him tearing this place a part broke her stare and she dropped her gaze to the floor bowing her head with it.

"How long have you been here?" He asked once more as if he did not wish to ask it again.

"Long enough to hear you have quite a temper." The words were out of her mouth before she could speak. Her eyes flickered up to him to see his reaction briefly before a dizzy spell won her over.

The diner spun and her body floated down and hard. She had no control over it either and she hoped the impact of her fainting spell would be kind to her because since she found herself awake in this place, it had not been.

A few hours later.

Flourescent lights greeted her as she drifted from her sleep state and awoke in a maroon colored booth. She rose quickly from it and scrambled to make sense of where she was and how she had got here. She knew she had fainted, but how she had made her way to a booth across the room was a mystery.

Outside the large windows of the diner it was dark now. The streets were illuminated by the lights strategically positioned every few feet to keep the roads and sidewalks well lit. Buildings that surrounded them that once seemed dull screamed with life as they were lit up for all to see. Ana took in the magnificent beauty that this place had become within hours of when she had last seen it.

Suddenly, the pounding and throbbing of her head welcomed her to reality as the beautiful lights became less wonderful and more annoying. She squeezed her eyes shut and laid her head on the table. Touching her head, the bump from before had grown two sizes too big and she wondered how long it would be a nuisance. Her and her uncoordinated luck.

Trying to not focus on the pain, she drew in a deep breath and inhaled the pleasant smell of breakfast. Pancakes, sausage, bacon, and eggs. Her stomach growled with hunger again. If only she could rectify what her stomach and taste buds longed for.

The door to the kitchen of the diner flapped open violently on cue almost as if her thoughts had been read. It alerted her awake and momentarily she forgot about the amount of pain she was in.

Out through the door came the copper haired man with two plates steaming with breakfast delights. Ana slouched in her seat and watched him carefully as he walked around the counter and toward the booth she occupied. He slid a plate in front of her and he took the seat opposite of her not breaking his gaze that seemed to be mesmerized.

"Eat." He ordered.

She stared down at her food. It looked delicious, but the distraction that sat across from her had made her appetite disappear.

"Do remember what happened?" He asked. Unraveling the neatly wrapped fork and knife from a napkin, he prepared to feast.

Ana glanced up at him. The swelling pain returned. "I know I hit my head and fainted." She responded shyly. "Everything before that is a complete blur."

She tried to think hard to remember the life she had before this moment. Nothing. The overwhelming panic from before rested in her chest again.

"Why can't I remember?" She murmured to herself.

"You too?" His voice was softer than how he had spoke to her before.

Lost and confusion, she recognized that look of desperation to find a solution, a answer, anything to make sense of it all. The tension in her body washed away and she found the courage to look at him and those intimidating grey eyes. His facial features had softened just like his speech. The way his mouth curled ever so slightly into a smirk made her heart flutter as if it had wings. She wasn't sure what was coming over her, but this man had something to do with it.

"I'm Christian." He introduced himself.

She nodded her head and smiled resulting in an full blown smirk from him.

In his cool, calm, and collected voice he said, "I think you and I both have some remembering to do." And he took a bit of his pancakes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Christian**

The soft lullaby of a rock song played in the background as he slowly drifted to the surface. A cool sensation pressed against his throbbing forehead that pulsated from his eyes all the way down to the base of his neck. The temporary remedy of the compression of his head against this unknown chilled object made him wanting to remain immobile, but his muscles urged him to move.

Peeling his forehead away and feeling the unsteady balance he gained from his movement, he moaned in misery. The ache of his predicament hurt so bad it made him want to hit his head against a wall hoping the two pains would cancel each other out. But it was no use. Whatever brought on his migraine of a headache was the least of his worries.

Alert and lost, he shifted in his seat attempting to piece the puzzle before him. A high-tech dashboard with every bell and whistle imaginable presented itself before him matched with the rich smell of fine leather upholstery. He was in a car, a luxurious one if at that, but how and when and why? The questions began to tumble around in his unsettled brain and he jerked taking in his surroundings.

How did he get here? Why was he in this car? Where the hell was he? Why couldn't he remember?

Trying to think long and hard about how he found himself occupying the driver seat of a car worth more than his life, his head began to hurt for a different reason.

It was rather odd his lack of memory. Had he been hit in the head so hard that memory loss had occurred? He quickly took in his surroundings once more to make sense of it all. The way the leather and interior of the vehicle felt beneath his fingertips felt right like he belonged. Yet, it was so foreign nonetheless.

He touched the tiny control screen and tapped the up arrow to increase the volume of the subtle music, but it remained at the controlled level it was set at. Frozen forever in a low decibel. Maybe it was a possible internal computer glitch? Or maybe it wasn't at all.

Continuing his observations, his eyes fell to the gear shift that read that it was in drive. Strange, since the car had no movement at all. Daring to take the risk of launching into the building only a few feet away from him, he placed his foot on the accelerator. Nothing. Not even the slightest bit of life. Something wasn't right.

He fell back in his seat as he ran his long fingers through his thick, copper colored hair and tensed his face. The reflection of the man who seemed every bit a mess stared back at him in the rearview mirror and he stroked the newly formed stumble on his face. The whites of his eyes appeared red and he shook his head wondering what the hell happened to him. None of this felt right. The world he was in felt off kilter and he didn't know to fix it.

Glancing back up at his rugged appearance once more, he caught sight of what looked to be another car. The impact of him spinning around so fast to view the parked car through the back window only made his head hurt worse and he cursed under his breath at the agonizing pain. The vehicle did not look occupied, but it left him curious and without a second thought he was unbuckling his seatbelt and stepping out into the realm of the unknown.

The skyscrapers casted their shadow onto the street as he shrunk beneath them. The careless whisper of utter silence echoed through his bones as he realized the music in the car had ceased. A shiver down his spine crawled and lingered leaving him cold and frightened. He felt like he was slowly falling over the edge into insanity and it tore him apart. He hated feeling like this. He hated not knowing anything at all. The anxiety that blossomed inside him could not be suppressed and he knew he was about to explode.

The mysterious car in the middle of the intersection that had grabbed his attention was no threat though. More so it was just another piece of the puzzle.

Wild with questions, he walked in a tiny circle. He glanced down noticing the dress shirt he wore was half tucked in. The urge to perfect his look scratched the surface, but he ignored it. There was no one to see him looking frazzled and on the brink of losing his shit, so why did it matter? He was alone, or was he?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement beyond the glass of a diner on the corner of the street. He cocked his head to the side and watched it carefully waiting to see if his eyes betrayed him. But there was no further movement and he sighed. Only a figment of his imagination had played a trick on him, but he still wasn't convinced. He swore he had seen something or someone move inside the diner and he needed to know for sure.

Stomping his way over, he scanned the area around him fast imprinting every inch of the street into this brain. He may not have had his memory from before, but he be damned to let it continue to slip away. He had to remember this. It felt all too real to forget.

Pushing open the door to the diner, he looked left and right. He saw a single soul in sight. Not even a clue to what he thought he might have seen from the street. It was aggravating. His shoes scuffed the tile floors and he walked over to the window. Only the two cars caught his attention as he gazed out and felt the anxiety fighting its way to the surface once more. Closing his eyes, he turned and began to pace the length of the marble counter.

The longer he let his mind wander into unthinkable scenarios, the more he wanted to pull his hair out. Maybe if he had something to grasp hold of that would give him some sense of control then he would feel better, but there was literally nothing. He knew very little about himself and yet he was learning so much in a matter minutes. The fact that he could not find an answer to this strange time and place drove him mad.

Finally reaching his boiling point and knowing he could no longer resist the urge to stay calm, he displaced his anger on the first thing he could.

The stool that sat perfectly next to the counter went flying across the floor with one swift kick. His foot knocked down the next one in line and he continued the process of his violent release. Each time he felt a little better, but it did not rectify anything. He was still lost. He still did not have an answer and he was all fucking alone.

Like a domino effect, one by one the stools tipped over. As the last one bounced and rolled on the tile floor, his chest heaved up and down trying to catch his breath. He groaned and leaned up against the counter exhaling, "What the fuck."

What the fuck was right.

Whatever he has done prior to this moment must have been deemed horrible. Shunned from civilization while still immersed in the lifestyle of it was cruel. He had to be in his own personal hell.

Using the counter as support, he rested his hands on it. The vibration and rattling of the table top spooked him as it followed a loud bang. It had come from behind the counter and it rang in ears alerting his senses.

"Ow. Ow. Ow." A tiny voice whispered and cried out in pain. _Holy shit_! He stepped back from the counter and gulped. Was he hearing things now too? Or was there really someone else in here with him.

Cautiously he walked around the counter to investigate not knowing who he was about to come in contact with. He curled his fingers into the palms of his hands creating fists ready to fight. Adrenaline pumped through his veins feeling the thrill and fear of once again not knowing.

As he rounded the counter, he held his breath. Whoever it was hiding from him was about to get a rude awakening. Someone had definitely been watching him from the diner window and he wanted to know why. But as he prepared himself to confront his mysterious admirer, he froze. On the floor, he saw a girl hunched over holding her head. A girl?! Who was she? And why the hell was she watching him? Hiding from him? He needed answers and he needed them now. His patience was wearing thin.

Beneath her long lashes, she rose her gaze up at him flashing her blue eyes. Long strands of brunette hair fell in front her face and she looked utterly terrified. He wasn't sure if it was from seeing him up close and in the flesh or the fact that she had been discovered?

"Do you work here?" He asked hoping to find some clarity.

"Uh," her tiny voice hummed her response, but all he received was her wincing from the pain she had caused herself.

Dirty scrubs clothed her small frame and instantly knew she did not work here. What had brought her here made him curious. She seemed so out of place and it reminded him of someone else he knew. But not grasping any sympathy for her quite yet, he focused on the frustration of knowing she had been spying on him.

The girl hissed touching her head and spoke, "I don't think so. No." _Well no shit, Sherlock. _Itwas obvious by her attire that she didn't work here.

"Who are you?" He demanded. He had the right to know who she was after the little stunt she pulled. No matter her gender, he would not let his guard down.

Little lines formed on her forehead as she thought about his question. After a few seconds deep in thought she stated her name. "Ana", she said as if it sounded slightly foreign to her.

_Ana_. _What a beautiful name, _he noted to himself.

"How long have you been here?" His curiosity continued to roll off his tongue.

"You sure do ask a lot of questions." She teased and stood up wobbling a bit. Her tone, however, did not shake. Humor hid behind it and the corner of her lips curled upward forcing a smile.

Was she a threat? Her demeanor was odd, but genuine. He studied her finding not a ounce of malicious intent. How could someone so small and who appeared so innocent be a threat? Not to mention she was strikingly attractive too. If this was his own personal hell there seemed to be hope within it after all. However, he still could not trust her and so he was careful to let her beauty distract him. The feeling was mutual.

A magnet force caused them to lock their eyes on one another. They were both sizing up each other up. The penetration of their gaze gained intensity and he felt his heart thump in his chest hard. The anxiety that once shredded him into a million pieces was fading away, but not completely.

Realizing she had dodged his question, he asked her once more lacing his voice with enough anger to show her he was not amused. "How long have you been here?"

Shy and bowing her head, she said, "Long enough to hear you have quite a temper." Warmth rose to her cheeks and as she flickered her gaze back up he saw the slight fear in her blue eyes. His temper tantrum had been a bit much and now he felt embarrassed about his actions. But before he could say another word explaining himself, he witnessed her long lashes flutter close. Her body swayed left then right and she fell fast. Rushing toward her, he caught her just before she made contact with the hard surface once more.

"Shit." He cursed as she hung lifeless in his arms. Her hair covered her face and he brushed it away hoping to wake her, but she remained unconscious. His eyes scanned for the softest place to set her down finding his only option were the booths. The cushions would suffice and so he carried her carefully over laying her down.

Huffing and placing his hands on his hips, he wondered how long it would be before she would awake from her slumber. All knew was he couldn't sit around and wait.

A few hours later.

"Would you look at that." He mumbled to himself and laughed.

Wiping his hands on a towel, he clapped them together. Two makeshift plates of hot breakfast items stared back at him. How on Earth he had managed to create something that actually looked edible was beyond him? With no memory or knowledge of how to navigate his way around the kitchen or even cook for that matter had resulted well. Somehow he had managed to make it work and he was pretty damn impressed with himself.

Not only had his stomach gargled and growled in hunger, but he knew he needed to find something to pass the time until Ana found consciousness again. His options to keep himself occupied were slim and so he had settled on cooking, something he had learned he could be successful at.

Picking up the warm plates, he made his way toward the swinging kitchen door and walked out. Nighttime had approached fast as the neon lights of the diner welcome him and streets grew dark.

To his relief, Ana was no longer laying down fast asleep from fainting. She was sitting up in the booth appearing lost and confused. The moment she caught sight of him though, she slouched down in her seat trying to appear smaller than she actually was. At this rate, if she were to get any smaller she would disappear. It was obvious she was unsure about him and he about her. They were both giant question marks just roaming this strange universe together waiting for an answer to come their way.

He placed a plate in front of her and she eyed it suspiciously. Half expecting her to bolt at any moment, he took the seat opposite her and waited. Honestly, he had given her every reason to, especially after earlier with his psycho antics. He hoped it hadn't spooked her too much though. The last thing he wanted was her to run.

The look she gave him was wild. "Eat." He ordered and ended the awkward silence. He removed his fork and knife from the rolled up napkin. As he peered down at the steaming food on his plated, he knew she had not moved a muscle. "Do remember what happened?" He asked hoping she had not suffered memory loss from her clumsiness.

"I know I hit my head and fainted." Her voice was soft and shy. "Everything before that is a complete blur."

_Me too, _he thought finding her response ironic.

"Why can't I remember?" Ana murmured just loud enough for him to hear.

It was like his thoughts were echoing through her. Could she not remember either? Suddenly, his intrigue in the situation shifted. This poor fragile and beautiful girl was just as lost as he. The expression of deep concern and desperation on her face said it all.

"You too?" He asked portraying a new side of him.

The distinct distance that had been put between them was beginning to close in as a mutual bond formed. Maybe together they could solve this puzzle, at least he hoped. It was just too damn ironic for the both of them to not remember anything at all.

His demeanor wasn't the only one that was changing as a revelation occurred. Ana lost the tension in her face and shoulders as she witnessed him succumbing to less demanding terms. The way her facial features soften made it hard to look away. Her cheeks flushed a pale pink bringing color to her face. Gravity pulled his lips into a smirk and he noticed the response he received from her.

"I'm Christian."

_Christian,_ he paused searching for how he came up with the name. It rolled off his tongue with ease and he knew that somehow in the mess his brain could not decipher through that he had discovered a small part of himself. It wasn't much, but it was something. He had a name.

Ana nodded and smiled in response. She was changing before him and it was the most beautiful sight to see. Any fear she had toward him had faded and it made him light up more. There was no need to fear him. What they had to fear was outside these walls, the unknown.

Finally feeling the last bit of tension and anxiety leave his body, he calmly spoke, "I think you and I both have some remembering to do."

He tore a piece of pancake apart and put it on his mouth. As he chewed his food, he glanced out at the dark street. Somewhere out there was their answer. Somewhere out there maybe they could find home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 - Ana**

"How is it possible that we can't remember anything?"

Ana bowed her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Next to her, Christian took long strides with his hands shoved into the pockets of his black pants. The demanding enforcer he portrayed back in the diner had casually left. Now, he kept his eyes and ears open as she asked the questions they were both thinking out loud.

Leaving the diner and their cars behind them, they walked down the middle of the four-lane street in the middle of the night. Only the light from lamps above illuminated their path bringing out the eerie feeling of being alone from the towering buildings that surrounded them. So small in such a large space, it could swallow you whole.

With no destination in mind, they aimlessly strolled side by side trying to wrap their minds around the possibilities of what ifs.

A soft chuckle escaped the reserved man that accompanied her and she peered at him not finding the humor in her question.

"Says the girl dressed in hospital scrubs." He teased and continued to look straight ahead. "You'd think you know a thing or two about memory loss."

"You'd think." She smirked seeing the irony in the situation.

Even if she worked in hospital judging by her attire, any knowledge that came along with the position was lost with the rest of her memory. How was it possible though to wake up one day and not remember a damn thing? The vulnerability that tagged along with it was terrifying.

Was this how a baby felt after it entered the world? Only alert to what was around he or she, but clueless about everything else?

Ana bit her lip and continued to travel down the path of long of the unknown and the curious.

"And where the hell is everyone?" Her haunting observation made her shiver. "It's like they all just disappeared." Ana remarked and her stomach sank at the next thought. "Or they don't exist."

The way the city remained so still and quiet like it was hiding a secret made the hairs on her arms stand up. Around every corner and behind every door lurked the possibility of maybe another soul or a clue. But would they find what they were looking for? Something told her this was it. Life as she once knew it, that is if she would ever remember the life she had before this, was gone.

"Why us?" He asked the real question that they both had been thinking. Why them?

Out of all the curiosity that filled her scattered brained head, she wanted to know why her? Why Christian? Life had seemed to fall off the face of the Earth, and yet here they were just the two of them.

Her gaze slowly shifted from her feet to his and climbed up his muscular body as he proceeded on his silent quest with her. There was nothing subtle about his beauty. He was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. In fact, he was the only man she had ever laid her eyes on that she could remember.

The street light caught the reflection of his silver watch on his left wrist and sparkled under the moonlight. His once unkempt appearance was now polished and cleaner. Impeccably dressed from head to toe, she felt like she was wearing a garbage bag next to him. She needed out of these dirty clothes.

As he continued to make his strides look effortless with each step, she noticed how he carried himself well keeping his chin held high. She wondered if his demeanor came naturally to him or if he was fulfilling the role he felt he needed to portray. Was he the man he appeared to be in the flesh or was there something more deep beneath the surface?

Unable to complete her mental observations, Ana winced as the pain from hitting her head throbbed. The intensity halted her in her tracks and she bent over clutching her hair and applying pressure to the knot.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Strong hands touched her shoulders and she glanced up through the loose strands of hair that fell in front of her eyes.

"It just hurts." She replied in a small voice through clenched teeth. Damn her and her clumsy attempts that now left her feeling incapable of functioning right.

"Maybe walking wasn't a good idea." Christian helped her stand up straight.

With his hands glued to her shoulders, she shook her head and squirmed beneath his touch. As he looked around for a place to sit, she watched him unknowingly.

The bump on her head wasn't the only part of her that was pulsing. Her heart rattled in her chest to a new, yet familiar sensation that nearly took her breath away. So close to him like this memorizing every inch of his face and getting lost in the mess of his copper hair made her feel even more weak.

"Whoa, steady." His finger curled around her frame and prevented her from tumbling down.

Ana parted her lips as his grey stare found hers. Embarrassed by her gawking, she lowered her head and said, "I think I like to sit down."

"This will have to do. Can you walk?" Christian motioned toward a building that did not rise as high as the rest. She nodded her head as he willingly did not let go. His hands supported and guided her off the street and threw an unlocked door. Inside she was met with utter darkness and the overpowering smell of bleach and alcohol.

"Wait here," he ordered and she obeyed. A minute later the place came to life.

The intensity of the ceiling lights mixed with colors of yellow, white, and blue made her dizzy. She shut her eyes to shield them and felt a hand on her shoulder guiding her to move again.

"Come. Sit." Christian's voice smoothly met her ear and she kept her head low.

After a few short steps, she found a stool and took a seat. Daring to open her eyes all the way, she managed to make out a rectangular bar decorated with bottles stacking five stories high behind it. A long mirror sat below the shelves and she saw her reflection in the glass. Ana winced again at her appearance. Give the poor girl a brush, she thought as she saw her out of place hair.

Behind the bar Christian rummaged through things looking for something. She watched him amused with the way his face tensed and scrunched as he focused on the matter at hand, whatever that was. His shoulders relaxed as he popped open a cooler and the sound of hard objects shuffling filled the room. He retrieved a towel from the back bar and scooped a handful of ice cubes into it. Twisting the towel and knotting it, he handed it to her.

"Put that on your head where it is sore."

Boy, he sure was bossy when he wanted to be. If he wasn't ordering her around and demanding to know something, his lips were sealed.

"Thank you." She smirked and took the makeshift ice pack and placed it on her head. At first the icy cool sensation stung, but soon it began to work it's magic.

Ana sighed as she scanned the empty bar. Dark wood covered the floors that looked like it had seen betters day judging by the amount of faded spots from where drinks and possibly bodily functions had been spilled. Cozy wooden booths padded with black cushions lined the walls, while high top tables were scattered throughout filling in dead space. She wondered if her former self would go here for a drink.

Shifting her gaze back to the massive bar, Christian climbed a ladder at the far end reaching for a dark bottle on the top shelf. He smirked to himself and grabbed two glasses from a rack below.

"Do you drink?" He asked shaking the bottle.

"Sure," she shrugged. "You?"

"I do now." Humor laced his voice. He screwed off the cap and poured what looked to be a brown liquor. Something told her she wouldn't like it.

Handing her a glass, he clinked his to hers. Ana hesitantly watched him down his portion in one gulp and mirrored his action. Warm, bitter, and sending her taste buds on overdrive, she puckered her lips and shook her head. "No. Definitely, no." She spat and felt the rush of alcohol go straight to her head.

"What would you like then?" Christian smirked and placed his hands on the bar leaning toward her.

"Anything, but that."

He spun around staring up at the shelves once more before spotting his new drink of choice, or hers to be exact. The ladder rolled down to the middle of the bar and he took two steps up. Ana admired her view of his tight and perfectly formed ass as he reached up to grab a clear bottle with a beautiful label. The way he moved and pretended to play bartender was far too amusing and she laughed to herself.

"Find something funny?" He chimed not turning around. Had he heard her snicker?

"You're a natural." Ana joked.

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or be concerned." He furrowed his brows and mixed her a drink. This time the color was just perfect. A pale red colored liquid filled her cup and she knew this time to take it slow.

Ana raised the cup to her lips and let the delicious concoction tingle her taste buds just right. Sweet and savory, she wanted more. Licking her lips, his grey eyes watched her and she smacked them together placing her cup down on the bar. A sudden rush of warmth rose to her cheeks flushing her skin. Maybe it was the alcohol or the fact that he was staring at her in a way that made her shift in her seat.

"Tell me about yourself." Christian leaned up against the back bar swirling his drink in his hand.

"How can I tell you about myself when I don't even know anything." Her voice was small again. He was kidding right?

"Humor me," he shrugged. "Make something up. We have a long night ahead of us."

"Make something up?"

"Oh come on, Ana." Christian rolled his eyes. "Look you and I both know we are a walking blank slate here. And for whatever reason we are stuck in this God foresaken place, we might as well make the most it."

"You think we're stuck?" She asked.

"I don't see us going anywhere anytime soon. Unless a flashing sign tells us otherwise, we're stuck." He sighed hearing how depressing the idea was. Ana reach for her cup again as he pushed off the edge of the back bar and walked toward her.

"Maybe this a second chance. Maybe we're supposed to redeem ourselves or maybe we're absolutely fucked." Christian cursed. He placed his hands back on the bar and leaned in toward her. "But we don't know shit, so let's make shit up. If you could create a life for yourself, what would it be? Who would you be?"

For a man who didn't say much, he was saying everything now. Ana pondered his train of thought. This was her chance to be whoever she wanted to be. It was her moment to define herself, but it didn't come that easy. It was loaded question. The possibilities were endless.

Picking up her girly drink, she drank it fast and pushed the cup toward him. The top of her head was becoming uncomfortable numb, so she removed it and placed it on the bar letting the melting ice cubes soak the towel.

"I think I'm going to need a lot more inspiration to have this conversation." She nodded toward the clear bottle. With a little alcohol in her system, she knew she could get the ideas flowing.

"I think you're right." Christian's eyes flared with excitement and poured them both another strong drink.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 - Christian**

"Hit me." Ana slammed the glass down on the bar and slid it toward him.

What number drink was this? He had lost count as he continuously tipped the bottle and watched it empty its contents into their cups. The warm, bitter liquid had altered the atmosphere quickly letting them slip into the warm, fuzzy bliss of intoxication.

Her pale complexion welcomed a shade of pink with each sip and gulp flushing the color across her cheeks. The way she puckered her lips together after the initial sensation of the alcohol slipping down her throat had faded. Ana tipped her head back and smiled. She smacked her lips together and savored the taste. It was impossible not to be fascinated, nor did he want to stray his stare away anywhere else. Her beauty and ability to adapt was just the distraction he needed. Silence would only consume him with the unknown, something he was too terrified to admit scared the shit out of him.

Christian blinked fast feeling himself wander back to reality and knocked back his drink quickly. Peering over his glass he watched her casually flip her hair behind her shoulder. Her chest heaved up and down as she sighed and he took notice. His jawline froze and he found his eyes falling dangerously on a part of her that sparked a flame inside him.

"What about you mister tall, dark, and mysterious?" Ana asked. Her serious tone cracked as she laughed and covered her mouth.

He huffed forcing the flame to burn out and tapped his fingers against the top of the bar. "Who are you?" She leaned forward leaning her chin on her hand.

After successfully downing enough liquor to make her courageous and inspire her creativity, Ana had expressed who she was or who she wanted to be. Not detouring far from the obvious, she had explained that she was in medicine, but wanted to be much more than just a nurse that tended to the sick and injured. Passion flared in her eyes and tone as she spoke of how she wanted to save lives, find a cure, make a difference. Her kind heart bled with generosity and love, something she didn't have to say out loud to know about her. It was not hard to believe that beyond this universe that maybe she really was as compassionate as she said she was.

Ana bowed her head and laughed finding humor in her thought that had just occurred. He waited patiently as she realized he was waiting for her to share. "I also drive a really nice car, not that clunker that I woke up in." She smiled. "Like a really nice car. I mean my profession obviously allows me to have such a luxury item after all."

Continuing on about the finer things in life that she could own with her hefty made up salary, he admired her excitement over the materialistic things. Whether she had experience such amenities before or not, he could tell she was just babbling. Ana was losing herself in the pretend past that she was creating for herself.

"But none of that stuff really matters though." Her smile faded. "Honestly," she whispered. "No matter who I was or am, I just want to be happy. I want to make others happy."

The light hearted girl that once shined before him was drifting away. She raised the glass to her lips and he knew the conversation would soon shift toward him.

"What you see is what you get." Christian shrugged finally answering her. "I'm not a complex man."

"Oh, I find that hard to believe." Ana replied.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"And you think you know me?" He halted his fingers that tapped the bar.

"No." Ana shyly responded. "I just think there's more to you than you think there is."

He really didn't want to talk about himself or make some shit up. What he wanted was to listen to her talk freely about everything and anything. At last the sound of her voice would fill the void of silence that lingered around them. But he knew she wouldn't let him off that easy, and so he humored her and made some shit up.

"I'm a nobody." Christian shrugged. "I work a nine to five job, like the taste of a fine whiskey occasionally, and lead a very boring life. There."

"That's who you are?" She leaned back. "That's who you want to be?"

"Yep." He poured himself another tall glass. "I told you, not very complex."

"You're not even trying." Ana complained and tapped her glass. The fruity concoction was a drink of the past now. Straight liquor was her weapon of choice.

His palms pressed into the edge of the bar and he grinded his teeth. Why the fuck did she care? If this was the life he wanted for himself, then so be it. While she was too busy dreaming of big houses and fancy cars with her lucrative occupation, he saw simplicity. No gimmicks, no drama, just living day to day getting by with the means of what he had.

Suddenly, he realized how depressing and effortless the conclusion of his life sounded. Was that really the life he wanted?

Christian reached for his drink wanting to drown himself in it. Simplicity wasn't bad, but it wasn't exciting either. Had his past life been simple? Was he piggybacking off what he had grown use to unknowingly? Or did a part of him long for simplicity knowing outside the walls of where he landed was chaotic, busy, and dissatisfying? Either way, simplicity was better than complicated.

"I don't believe you." Ana shook her head. The liquor was not holding back any thought or opinion she may have of him in this moment.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because," she said looking down at the ground. "I think you're scared to know that maybe there is more to you."

"And you know this about me after what five minutes of talking to me?" He barked. Ana flinched at the volume of his voice.

"It's just an observation." Ana defended herself.

"Maybe we should talk about something else." Christian moaned.

"I'm sorry I just don't see boring when I look at you." She continued her attempts to explain what she really thought of him. He wished she would mute the conversation. It was only making his blood boil. "I see...more."

"And I see us ending this conversation and putting it to rest."

The impact of his glass hitting the bar echoed and Ana flinched again. His temper was rising and the urge to hurl his fist at something was edging closer and closer. He needed to excuse himself before he blew up, which he did not want her to see. It was his own damn fault and taking it out on her wouldn't do any good. If anything, it would only make things worse and by the looks of it they didn't need that. They were already in hell or at least some form of it.

Christian stomped around the bar and made his way toward the bathrooms in the back. He pushed open the door and hunched himself over the porcelain sink.

Screw second chances. He was utterly fucked and so was she. The both them were slowly being sucked further and further away from reality. No life before this mattered. Not even a fictious one. Redemption was no longer an option. No matter what he did, it didn't matter now.

The alcohol fired him up. He gripped the sink letting the whites of his knuckles show. There was no way he could go another minute longer feeling like this. He needed a damn distraction or he really was going to combust into a million jagged pieces.

Splashing some cool water from the faucet, he ran his hand over his face and through his thick hair. The man that nearly lost his shit on a poor girl who was just humoring his bullshit was not about to walk out that door and back into the bar. She didn't deserve that. Fuck, he knew he needed to apologize. Christian pictured a flustered and drunk Ana waiting at the bar knotting her fingers. His mind flashed to the curiosity that floated in those blue eyes of hers. That curiosity was going to get her into trouble if she wasn't careful. The way she tried to challenge him on his perception of himself was down right annoying, and yet it made him think too. She had pushed him just enough to get him thinking, something he realized he didn't like doing.

Outside the bathroom, he heard the faint sound of music playing. He wiped his hands on pants and left the men's bathroom walking back out into the open layout of the bar.

The bar was empty and he noticed Ana had moved her attention elsewhere. Her slim, tiny frame hovered over a modern jukebox and she bobbed her head along with the beat. A sultry rhythm pulsed through the many speakers that hung from the ceiling and the lights danced in time with the beat bringing the bar to life. Her hips began to match the music and she swayed them back and forth. With her back to him, she had no idea that she was not alone. He watched her as the music took over her and she raised her hands in the air and danced. Any sign of her head hurting from before was not a concern of hers at the moment.

He was captivated.

The way she rolled her shoulders in time with the beat. The way her hair cascaded down her back and bounced. The way her hips swayed from side to side defining her perfectly tight ass. Christian felt every muscle in his body tense and he held his breath. Shit! He knew where his mind was headed, but he wouldn't allow it drunk or not. That was the last thing that should have been on his mind, however the way she moved was making it difficult to think about anything but that.

Ana twirled around and gasped as she saw him standing in the entry way to the bathrooms. Even from where he stood he could see her cheeks flush a deep red. He didn't want her to be embarrassed. He didn't want her to stop. Christian stepped forward and made his way toward her.

Maybe it was his recent lack of judgement or maybe it was the alcohol that made him do it, but he grabbed her hand and joined her. The distraction might not be ideal, but it was better than dwelling on how miserable he felt.

They kept their distance as he forced his body to follow the rhythm and time of the music. Ana bit her lip and slowly eased her way back into her carefree dance. She closed her eyes and threw her head back fully enjoying herself. Fuck if you can't beat them, join them, Christian thought and completely lost himself in the music too.

He reached out and touched her waist pulling her in closer. Ana's head snapped up right and her eyes went big. No objection was made on her behalf and so he drew her in as close as they could get. The friction of their clothes and bodies rubbed together and they moved in time as one. A smile blossomed on her face and she threw her arms around his neck. God did she feel so damn good next to him, touching him, grinding on him.

Christian stifled his groan as he felt the constriction of his pants become a problem. Her hips rolled and aggressively brushed against his growing erection, only making it worse. This time he let his groan be known and Ana snaked her fingers into his hair. The music, the dancing, the touching, the heat, it suffocated him and drove him mad with lust. His hands moved up her body sensually and to the base of her neck. Her soft skin beneath the pads of his thumbs felt right and knew where this was going and frankly he didn't give a fuck anymore.

One moment she was biting her lip, practically begging him with her eyes to do it and the next he was lunging himself at her yanking that bottom lip out of her mouth with great hunger. He held her tight and devoured her sweet taste. The fingers in his hair tugged gently and he moaned into her mouth feeling himself aroused. The hint of alcohol on each of their breaths remind him of how easily this had ignited. Would he have done this sober? It was bound to happen. Being the only two in this strange universe and not knowing for how long, it was a ticking time bomb. Clearly, a bomb with a short fuse.

Ana pressed herself as close as she could and he knew he wanted to feel every curve on her body. He needed to get her out of her dirty scrubs, but not here. Not in this bar. The feeling grew more urgent as every second passed and their mouths moved quicker upon each other. They had to move this somewhere else or he knew that they would sin on some surface in this place.

He forced himself a part from her and tore her hands out of his hair. His fingers intertwined with his and he took extra long strides toward the exit dragging her behind him.

"What are doing? Where are we going?" Her slurred words shouted above the music.

"I don't know." Christian yelled back.

Once outside, the music became muffled and he breathed in the fresh air. The cool breeze washed over him making him feel lighter and more drunk than he had felt a before. Ana swayed in place and then laughed. "It feels so good out here." She stumbled back into the building wall and yanked on his arm. Christian followed and pinned her up against it with his hands on either side of her face.

"And I need to feel you beneath me." His tone lowered an octave and she gasped. "Come on." He unpinned himself and tugged on her hand. Ana gripped his shirt and smirked not wanting to follow his order.

Eager with desire and raging with testosterone, he grabbed her waist and cursed, "Damn it, Ana. Do you want me to fuck you up against this wall because I'll do it." Her eyes glimmered in the moonlight. Did she want this as much as he did? Or was it the liquor persuading her otherwise?

Not wasting another damn second, he pulled on her hand and set his sights on the nearest place with a bed. Fuck! Even a couch would do. All he knew was he had to have her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 - Ana**

The city lights that shined freely in the night twirled and danced around her. Hard pavement echoed beneath her feet as she walked with a purpose. A mystery destination was near, but she did not know where or what it would be. All she did know was that it needed to be found and fast.

Her left hand swung casually at her side while her right hand interlocked with his. The grip he held was strong and leading. At this rate, she would follow this man anywhere.

Giddy with excitement, Ana plastered a goofy smirk on her drunk face that she knew Christian could not see. They turned sharply around a corner and her body jolted sideways as he dragged her up the steps of a dark building. He mumbled something incoherent under his breath and his grip tightened.

To their luck, the double doors opened and they rushed inside. Their connection broke as he searched for something, possibly a light. He huffed and grabbed her hand a second later giving up on his endeavors. The creaking of a door met her sensitive ears and she was forced to it. Unable to see a thing, Ana relied on Christian as he led her up a set of stairs. Her body tingled the with anticipation.

"Where are we?" She asked while her free hand grabbed the arm the led her.

Hot breath touched the skin on her cheek and a pair of wet, needy lips began to trail their way down. Ana's back pressed into a cool, cement surface and she tilted her chin up allowing him to access every sweet spot that his heart desired. Fingers dug into her hips and the outline of how badly he wanted her was no secret at all.

"Fuck. We need to find a place..." His sentence trailed off and soon she was being led again up another flight of stairs. Her legs wobbled and she was thankful when she heard another a door creak.

As they rushed down a unlit hallway, her head spun. This was all happening so fast, so sudden. One moment she was trying to peel the tough layer away that Christian wore and the next she was dirty dancing with him having a full blown make out session in the middle of a bar.

Would her former self have accepted such a grand, sexy gesture that Christian had offered? Or would she have stopped these shenanigans altogether?

The answer to that didn't matter. What mattered was, what was her present self going to do? Ana knew the answer to that. She wanted this. She wanted him.

A rattle of a door knob caused her to jerk her attention back to him and she heard him sigh some relief as a random door opened. She walked in seeing only what the moonlight allowed her to but was distracted abruptly as he moved in front of her.

Christian grabbed the back of her head tangling his fingers in her hair. His lips attached themselves to hers as they moved in sync. Ana smoothed her hands flat on his chest resting her palms on the definition of his chest. It was solid and muscular. Her body whimpered at the thought of it hovering above her.

His body dipped and soon she felt her feet leaving the ground and her legs wrapping around his waist. Two strong hands cupped her ass and he moved them effortlessly around the room they know inhabited. Ana kissed him as passionately as she could trying to show him the feeling was mutual and his fingers massaged her behind firmly in return.

"Mmmm." She moaned into his mouth and her equilibrium shifted again.

This time her back pressed against a soft, cushioned surface. A quick thrust of his pelvis between her legs was enough to make her moan more audible.

"God, I want you." Christian mumbled as his hands fumbled with the hem of her shirt. The thin material slipped up her body and she lifted her back enough to discard the piece of clothing. His rough hands touched the bare skin on her stomach making her shiver and he ran them up cupping each breast firmly.

"Oh, my..." Ana squirmed and arched her back. Her exclamation was nothing more than a breathless whisper.

A quick, sharp inhale made her stomach churn and her head spun as Christian unhooked her bra and dropped his head taking her into his mouth. The sensation sparked her arousal, but she could not shake the imbalance her body was conjuring. Ana tried to ignore the wave of discomfort. Christian nipped and flicked her nipple and she cried out in pleasure. Every second she felt her core squeeze tighter, but the bile in her stomach rose higher.

His lips teased down the valley of her breasts and toward her waist. Ana squeezed her legs around him feeling him near such a sacred place on her body. She wanted him to travel further, deeper, but another wave of discomfort came and Ana knew she was on the brink of ruining a perfect moment.

Fighting her less than desirable urges, she tried to focus on the pleasure. However, her body revolted and she flung herself up and leaned her head to the side feeling the bile come up and out of her. Her head throbbed violently as she heaved her body ejecting the contents of her stomach. This was so embarrassing.

The taste of once delicious drinks mixed with breakfast now tainted her taste buds. She coughed and moaned not from pleasure, but from pain. Her hair swept up from her face and behind her shoulders with the help of a pair of hands. Ana winced at the thought of him witnessing her like this. The atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically. Why did her body have to betray her?

Once her body could take no more, she laid back down and covered her face with her arms. The weight that rested on the lower half of her body was no longer there and she heard Christian quietly walk away. _Shit_! He was leaving. After what she had done, any chance she had with him was gone.

Closing her eyes from shame and exhaustion, she wallowed in her embarrassment and soon her inebriated state drifted her away.

Hours later, Ana tossed and turned until she grew consciousness again. As her surroundings slowly faded into view, she noticed the spinning and nausea had passed, but the memories of hours before had not. Maybe it was nothing more than a dream? That the memories she had created were a realistic mirage, along with the man she had befriended and unitentionally seduced too. But as things became more vibrant around her, she quickly realized the dream she had hoped for had not ended.

Wide awake and very much alert, Ana absorbed her surroundings as she laid still. Nightime had come and gone, and the sun had just barely broke the horizon as natural light crept into the room that was semi-lit. Where the hell was she? Déjà vu lingered in the back of her mind. She knew this feeling all too well. Not knowing where she was and how shere got here. But as he subtle breaths of someone next to her drew her attention away from the shadowed ceiling above, the answer became obvious.

The last thing she could recall as she hurled her body over the side of a couch was getting sick. What she did not remember was moving after that, which meant someone had to have done that for her. Ana glanced over at the copper haired man as he slept with his lips barely parted open. The same lips that had kissed not only her lips, but other places south of her neck.

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_, she cursed internally.

A night that could have turned out so much differently had been ruined by the the betrayal of surpassing her liquor in take. How was she supposed to know that she would get sick? It wasn't like she knew her limit. She didn't know anything all. Ana grew frustrated at the thought of the unknown and how it continued to follow her.

Rustling beneath the thin layer of a white sheet, Ana paused to find her once naked torso now clothed with a grey shirt. Before her stomach had so rudely interrupted such a wonderful moment, she could have sworn she had been discarded of her clothes from the waist up. Was this Christian's doing again? Had he not only put her to bed, but cleaned he up and dressed her too? So many questions were adding up and she could feel a head ache coming on.

Ana scanned the room looking for something, but what? Beyond the foot of the bed and just across the hall of the random bedroom she occupied, she saw a bathroom. Quietly, she rose and walked slowly toward it not wanting to wake Christian.

The door clicked shut and she locked it behind her. Ana touched her forehead to the closed door and sighed. What the hell was going on? Why had he stayed? Where were they? Who lived here? So much had happened in so little time. She needed to clear her head. The endless thoughts that rattled her brain were about to drive her mad. Beckoning her from across the small bathroom, Ana stripped herself of her clothes and ran the shower.

Warm streams of water soothed her skin. Lost underneath the shower head, she let the steam cleanse her mind and body. Ana ran her hands through her wet hair and reminsced about the last twelve hours. It was all so very consuming and yet, the one question of why still haunted her. There were a number of reasons why she was here, but without a definite answer she would stay in the dark until she found it.

Reaching down for the soap, she rubbed it in her hands to lather the suds before she cleaned her body. She massaged her shoulders and the back of her neck first letting her mind slip to a morbid place. What if...NO! She knew where her thought was headed and where it ended. Just the pure notion of accepting the possiblity of someting so terrifying and devastating made her shiver. However, she knew it wasn't far fetched. Shaking the awful idea away, Ana dropped her hands to her stomach and rubbed slowly in sensual circles.

A new shiver crawled down her spine as her throughts drifted back toward her passionate and spontaneous night. The way he latched on to her like he had been debating about it made her smirk. The way his hands embraced every inch of her body touching, teasing, and caring for it made her bite her lip. The way he announced his heated desire in a low voice that made her knees shake aroused her.

Becoming lost in the memory of their temporary lust, her hands found the sensitive spots on her body and she moaned. She pretended the hand that cupped her breast was his, while the other went further south and between her legs. They had been so close to sealing the deal and she yearned to know what it felt like, what he felt like. The slippery surface of the shower wall touched her back as she found herself getting carried away. Her mouth hung open as the sensation took over. The shower grew warmer. If only she hadn't got sick, maybe his hands would be doing all the work right now.

Outside the door of the bathroom, a loud thud broke her from her trance. Her trembling hands fell to her sides and she quickly turned off the shower. No longer frustrated with her thoughts, a different kind of frustration presented itself. Sexual frustration. Trying to forgot about how good she had just felt, she tossed the t-shirt over her head and her dirty underwear back on. Not caring that she was wet, she opened the door and looked around to see what had caused the noise.

Her eyes peered down the hallway. Nothing grabbed her attention there.

Back in the bedroom, she saw the bed was empty. She sighed knowing that what she had heard had probably been him, but where was he and what was he doing?

Curiously, she walked past the threshold of the bedroom only to find a pair of feet sticking out from the side of the bed. "Oh, my God!" She exhaled and rushed to where Christian laid on the floor completely lifeless.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 - Ana**

_Was he? No._ Ana trembled as she hovered over Christian and surveyed his immobilized body. Only minutes ago he was sleeping so peacefully next to her, and now he was..._No!_

Falling to her knees, her shaking hand touched him as if he were fragile. Not a single movement. Not a breath. Nothing.

For a man she barely knew, tears swelled in her eyes and a high pitched sob escaped her. The fright of seeing him like this disturbed and saddened her, but the reality of knowing if he really had checked out swallowed her whole. How could she survive in this place without someone, without him?

_Alone_. Ana felt her chest go tight and her breathing quicken. The immediate feeling of being trapped sent her spiraling through depression. Without a single soul to comfort or entertain her was asking for insanity to walk through open doors into her already panicked state. She wouldn't allow it though. She wouldn't let him leave her so easilY.

The image of her dirty scrubs that she had worn upon her arrival in this strange place sparked an idea. Maybe even a bit of hope. Pressing her hands together on top of his chest, she began to push down in short, pulsating movements. She had to save him, or at least try.

"Come on." Ana gritted through her teeth. "Come on."

The urgency that coursed through her made her compress his chest faster, harder. But her hands grew tired and so did her muscles as the force behind each push began to fade. It was useless. He wasn't going to wake up. This was it. She was officially alone.

Ana fell back on her feet and sighed. Her wet hair soaked her shirt and the fresh tears that dropped from her eyes did the same to her cheeks. Emotionally charged, she sniffled and shed the free flowing waterworks that had presented itself so suddenly. Unsure whether she was crying because she had just witnessed death or the fact that she was utterly fucked in this mystery realm, she held nothing back.

With her head bowed, she stared down at her hands. What was going on? Why was any of this happening at all? This never ending game of questions had to stop, and now.

Her gaze shifted back to Christian, who appeared to be in a deep sleep, but she knew that was not the case. Now that it was confirmed that he was no longer with her, what would she do? Would she leave him like this? Would she move him? Where would she go...all alone?

And there they were. The questions flooded her mind again. Ana moaned in frustration and pounded his chest with her fist. "Wake up, damn it!" His body jolted from the impact of her fist hitting him. "You don't get the easy way out."

Hurling her fist at the center of his chest, she beat it again, and again, and again. A flame inside her lit. She couldn't give up that easily. Even if this was his fate and this was hers, she had to know that at least she tried as hard as she could.

After exerting her efforts, she slumped to the ground and laid her head on the cold floor next to his. She closed her eyes and proceeded to count to ten.

For ten seconds, she would let herself feel the excruciating pain of what surrounded her. Once her time was up then she would let it all go and move on. She had too. It was the only way to survive, if that's what she was doing.

One. Two. Three.

Anxiety, fright, grief swelled around her.

Four. Five. Six.

It weaved in and out of her bones, veins, and every inch of her soul.

Seven. Eight. Nine.

This was it. And then it would all have to disappear. But as she reached ten, her heart froze mid-thump as the alerting sound of gasping echoed next to her. Wide eyed and tensed, Ana watched as Christian jolted up and his chest puffed out. A case of violent coughs followed and he hunched his half risen from the dead body over in pain. What the hell had she just witnessed?

Stumbling to a kneeling position, she reached out to touch him as he proceeded to cough and wince, but it didn't seem right to do. Ana retracted her hand back and waited like a frightened child until finally he calmed himself down. His shoulders rose then fell as he caught a steady breathing pattern and regained his grasp of this so called reality.

Christian turned his head to look at her as his jaw quivered. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes not wanting him to see how upset she had become. It was foolish and somewhat embarrassing.

"Are you okay?" She asked in a half whisper. What a stupid question to ask. Clearly, the man was not okay.

"I don't know." He exhaled and scooted back to lean up against the bed.

With one knee drawn toward his chest, he clutched it and stared at the floor. His mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to say something, but fought the urge to do so. It appeared he too was just as shocked by the sudden turn of events and it had deeply disturbed him. The unfamiliar bedroom they occupied had become eerily quiet.

Ana spread her fingers out across her thighs and waited for him to say something, anything, but nothing passed his dry lips. Her gaze beneath her hooded lashes was cautious as she watched him. No longer was internal debate visible. Christian had shut down. A dark and sad expression had engulfed him and he remained completely steel. Even her tiny shuffling movements did not cause him to flinch or glance her way. She was at a loss of words of what to say to him to break him from this state.

Taking notice to his dry lips again, she stood up and pulled her shirt down to cover the bare skin that was exposed waist down. Just last night she was ready for him to see it all and now she felt shy and protective of her body. Not that he would take notice to her being half naked anyways. He seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts that suffocated him and left him mute.

What was his problem? _Maybe his problem was the fact he had just died and risen within matter of minutes_, her conscious screamed. Ana shook her head for thinking such a thought. What he needed was some time and she could give him that. She had too.

Leaving the room, she went on a search for her pants and a glass of water for Christian, whether he would drink it or not. Now awake and curious, she took note of every detail of the apartment they had stumbled into carelessly last night.

The hallway she walked down was bare and dark. Where most people hung pictures or art was nothing more than a divider between rooms. Ana shivered at the realization of how lonely this place felt. Even if someone had lived her at some point, there was no trace of who they were and that scared her.

As the hallway ended and opened up into a large room that served the purpose of three rooms put together, she made her way toward the kitchen in the far right corner. Inside the cupboard she grabbed a glass and filled it with water. Turning around she saw her discarded shirt from the night before on the floor near the couch. The memory of his hands and mouth exploring her brought back the warm sensation she craved and she slammed the glass down on the counter from the frustration of her situation. This place was driving her mad.

Ana let out a heated breath and forced herself to go back to the bedroom where frozen Christian sat. Sure enough, he had not moved a muscle and did not acknowledge her kind gesture as she set down on the night stand next to him.

_He needs time. Be patient. _Ana told herself. But how much?

A tiny closet caught her eye from across the room and she walked over to it. Tapping the light switch, the shelves and lines of hanging clothes came into view and she ran her hands over the cloth of the shirts, jackets, dresses, and pants. _How convenient_, she thought as this abandoned closet had become her own personal clothing store. A pair of jeans seemed suitable to cloth her naked legs and she prayed silently that they would fit. When they did, Ana smiled and wondered what else would too.

After a few minutes of letting herself divulge in scattering clothes all over the closet floor, she had found something to wear that felt like it fit her personality. An odd discovery of knowing what looked and felt right was refreshing to her. Style had been conquered, but the list still grew. She was still met with the same blank slate.

Just beyond the cracked closet door out into the bedroom, she could see the back of his head. She smoothed out the fabric on her shirt and wondered what to say to him to get him to snap out of it.

What was worse: being alone or being ignored?

She desperately wanted to sit down next to him and wait it out, but it would only her drive her sanity closer to breaking too. Whatever mental well being she had left she needed to hang on to for now. Until then, she needed to occupy her and take her mind off things.

The shadows of the living room moved around her as she curled up on the couch and buried herself in a book that she had found neatly shelved amongst a collection. She didn't know if she even liked to read, but it was something to do and many hours later she had finished it from turning the last page and sighing when it was done. During that time, he had not left the bedroom. She wondered if he was even still breathing and she knew better than to let that dark reality consume her again. Whatever had happened to him in those mere minutes between life and death had really fucked him up.

Setting the book down on the couch next to her, she sighed. Now what? Night was approaching again and fast. The dark streets of the unknown scared her, but they tempted her exploration at the same time. Either she could stay held up in this apartment all night long or she could face the unknown. Option number two sounded more enticing than sitting here sulking. It was now or never to do it before she backed down.

But what about Christian? Ana peered over her shoulder wondering if she should tell him what she was doing, but a part of her didn't want to. If he really wanted to partake in living again, he would find her. The city was a big place, but finding the only other living soul in it wouldn't be hard. Especially with what she wanted to do.

Not giving it a second thought, she stood up from the couch and left the apartment without looking back.

Ana pressed her finger on the digital touch screen and scrolled through the list of titles. Choosing one at random, the place roared to life with music.

She had chose the bar from the night before as her place of release and adventure. The liquid bottles on the shelves reminded her to stay cautious and set a limit so she wasn't hurling her brains out again. As fun as last night was, she didn't want to relive it.

The rhythm of a guitar with an edgy sound blared and the vocals of a male echoed off the walls. On the bar, her drink still sat and she opted to stay away from the hard stuff. As she swayed her hips and danced around the bar, she searched the coolers for something less bitter. A bottle with a colorful label stood out and she picked it up. Popping the cap off, she drank it and made a face. It was much smoother than what she had drank the night before, but still potent enough to loosen her up. Ana took another sip and tapped the bar.

Rock song after rock song played and she passed the time dancing and learning the lyrics quickly. She used her beer bottle as a makeshift microphone and sang into it. She laughed at how insane she might appear, but it didn't matter. There was no one to witness the mess she was becoming and she welcomed her carefree night with open arms.

Twirling around in the middle of the floor and shaking her head back and forth, she paused as the door to the bar swung open and in he walked. It was Christian. He was here. She closed her eyes and opened them to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but he was very much physically present.

He moved in long strides toward the bar with his head hung low. He did not look at her and he did not acknowledge her. What was his problem? What had she done to make him act like she didn't even exist?

Ana watched him as he helped himself to the same bottle he had drank from the night before and poured himself a shot. He downed it fast and poured another mimicking his actions. The glass hit the counter top hard and this time for the first time in hours he looked at her. _Fuck_! She knew that look. It was the same look from last night right before it all had unraveled. .


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - Ana**

Every ounce of sadness had faded from his face. Christian had become a changed man, and she was not sure if it was for the better or not. This new shade of darkness that he wore was different, but familiar.

She had experienced this darkness the night before here in the middle of the bar, outside against the brick wall, in the dark stairwell of the apartment complex, and on the couch of some random living room. The memory alone spiraled a wonderful sensation down to her core that desired him deeply.

Without hesitation or welcoming a warm shot of liquor, Christian moved around the bar toward her and fast. In those few long strides that he made, it was evident that his destination ended with her.

Ana parted her lips to speak, but was denied the chance to do so. His rock hard body pressed against her tiny torso, and his fingers tangled their way into her hair. Urgency and passion was conveyed in the movement of his mouth upon hers. His abrupt action was slightly confusing, and yet exciting all in one. After last night and her inability to handle her liquor, she was positive that he would not make another move, but that did not seem to matter.

Cupping each side of her face, his strong hands held her stunned and elated. His lips moved wonderfully, wet and wild on hers and carelessly dipped to her jawline tempting to go lower. She had never been kissed like this before, at least not to her knowledge. Even if her long lost memory of a time before this included the kiss of another, it still could not compare to his. The way he showed his desire in the way his lips greeted hers repeatedly set her skin of fire. She wanted to feel like this all the time, joyous, aroused, and wanted.

But why did he want her? Why now? Why here?

Alcohol was to blame for last night, so what was his excuse now? Her mind raced with the reasons and the image of his mute state only hours before. Did he have some sort of revelation? Or had something spooked him that had drove him completely mad? Either way, she wasn't complaining. It wasn't everyday a man charged at you with lust in his eyes wanting to fuck you on every surface possible without a care in the world.

Her feet shuffled as they stumbled backwards colliding with the table of a booth. Ana winced as the back of her thighs made contact and the edge of the table dug into them. Noticing her tiny pleas of discomfort, Christian lifted her and set her firmly down on the table. His arm snaked around her back to support his leaning body mass upon hers. Trails of wet, hot kisses were made down her neck and back up to her lips as if he could not get enough. The storm that erupted inside of him now poured out in the most erotic way.

"Let's finished what we started, hmm?" His husky voice of man whispered in her ear and in one swift motion removed her shirt. Christian was a man on a mission and boy was it sexy.

Wasting no time, he peeled her out her clothes one by one. Pants, bra, and underwear all completely scattered around the booth and on the floor of the bar. The thrill of being so exposed and in the open excited her, and yet she felt dirty and ashamed of what she was doing and where. Her internal battle went to war.

Was this like her to be so carefree with life and sex? Was she the type of girl that let any guy seduce her? But Christian wasn't just any guy, she told herself. Something clicked with him. It was odd, strange, and entirely insane, but it felt right, and so she went with what she wanted in the moment and that was him.

Ana returned her full attention back to him as he explored her body with tongue and mouth. Still fully clothed, she wanted him just as vulnerable as she. Her hands fumbled with the shirt on his back as she tugged on the material. Taking the hint, Christian yanked it off and quickly unbuttoned his pants letting them fall to the ground. _Christ! _Her mouth hung open at the sight of him in just his boxer briefs. The constriction they caused made it obvious how badly he wanted her, too. The anticipation of them getting to the good part was taking too long and she knew she needed to make it clear that she was ready.

Her hand reached out to stroke him feeling the outline and the twitch beneath the material that separated him from her. He moaned as he leaned forward grasping the edge of the table and breathing hot air on her neck. "Fuck." Christian audibly swore as his hips flexed and he could no longer take no more. In a flash, he was free and her body tensed. She squeezed her legs together feeling the warmth from her core build and the sweet yearning that begged to be touched.

The song on the modern day jukebox changed to a pulsating beat that matched the rhythm of her heart. He held himself proudly as he pulled her body closer to the edge of the table and peered up at her with one eyebrow cocked. Without saying it, he questioned her intentions and she spread her legs wider letting him know exactly what they were. Ana threw her head back as he sank himself into her slowly. Her body shook and she bit her lip hard. The pads of his fingers dug deep into her skin, and then he began his torturous thrusts.

In and out he went keeping it deliciously slow making her want more. The walls inside her clenched tighter and she grabbed the back of his neck. Their eyes locked and he groaned something incoherent. All it took was their nonverbal connection to send him into overdrive. His speed gracefully picked up and fully losing himself in her, she began to squeak and moan at each hard pounding thrust. _Shit this was really happening, _Ana gasped as she felt her body rising, tensing, and waiting to explode. Sweat formed on her back as he continued to show her the sensation that she clung on to desperately. She didn't want it to end, and yet she knew soon her world would come crashing down in the most sensual way possible.

Christian grunts filled her ears and she felt the twitch that her hand had felt now inside of her. He was about to burst and so was she. The intensity became too much and before she could comprehend what was going on, she was screaming and watching her body convulse. Her legs shook and she closed her eyes tight letting the wave of pure bliss ride itself out. Another twitch sent a flash of warmth inside her as Christian placed his forehead on her shoulder and whimpered as he too let go. Panting and coming down from their highs, she smirked and ran the hand that was once on the back of neck up into his hair.

As she slowly let the bar come back into view, her vision darted over to the window and her heart nearly jumped into her throat. "Holy fuck!" She shouted and shifted beneath him.

"God I wanted to do that since last night." Christian murmured into her shoulder and kissed it.

"No," Ana pushed him off. He slid out of her. "Someone is watching us."

"What?!" He exclaimed. His body stood in front of hers shielding her naked body from an onlooker wanting a free show, but said onlooker was no more.

Searching the streets outside the window from where she sat, not a single soul was insight. But she swore she had just saw someone. A man had been standing in a white coat right outside the bar staring. How could he just vanish?

"Where?" Christian asked bending down and throwing her clothes at her. Simultaneously, they got dressed in a fury of panic.

"I swear there was someone there." Ana sighed and yanked her shirt over her head. She moved from the table and walked toward the window. What the hell? Was her mind playing tricks on her? She had hit her had pretty hard the day before, maybe it had caused her to see the man, but she knew that couldn't be it. What she saw seemed way too real. He was clear as day. No expression. Details defined, but the more she focused on it, the more the image of him blurred.

"I don't see anyone." He walked up next to her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Doubt sank in. "I think."

As Christian began to question her sanity, she ignored him. She knew what she saw and yet, it was so hard to believe herself. If there really was someone there, where did they go and what did they want? Not taking a second longer to debate her theories, she bolted out the door of the bar and on to the street.

In the middle of the street she stood spinning around trying to find any sign of the man, but no trace could be found. The feeling of her sanity slipping through her fingers terrified her. This place was getting to her. The towering buildings felt like they were closing in and her breaths grew short. Ana placed her hand over her chest and she crouched down to the pavement. Anxiety took charge and she sunk lower to the ground until she laid completely flat staring up at the dark blue sky that was turning black. The crescent of the moon lingered up high and she held her hands over her chest trying to calm herself down. What was this place and what did it want from her?

The gradual change from day to night shifted as she stared blankly up at the sky. Street lights flickered on one by one and the buildings that once felt like they were suffocating her were now beautifully stacked amongst the street again.

Ana sighed as her hands touched the pavement and no longer her chest. Her anxiety had washed away with the arrival of night and she had become completely sated. Reflecting on every bit of what she could remember from waking up in her car until now, she sighed again. All she knew was the present. The unknown rattled her, but she could not let it take charge like her emotions had done so before. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

To know that she could not review her past or envision her future was hard to accept, but understanding her reality was even harder.

Her eyes shut momentarily as she felt herself floating away from the calm state she had drifted into. This reality had endless possibilities, it had proven itself more times than she had liked, and deep down she knew of only one place that could craft such anomalies.

Opening her eyes again, she saw Christian sit down next to her silently. Slowly, he took his place beside her and mimicked her sprawled out body against the pavement. He said nothing and for five minutes they stayed like that quiet, serene, and both utterly numb to what surrounded them.

"Ana," his voice broke their silence.

"I know what I saw." She rushed her words.

Christian exhaled loudly and the touch of his fingers on the palm of her hand startled her. "And I believe you." He whispered.

Silence swept across their tiny bubble and she drew her hand away from him. Her heart thumped in her chest as she knew what she wanted to say next to fill the empty air.

"What happened to you?" Ana asked. "Back there in the apartment, what happened?"

The hand that once reached to her now curled behind his head. Talk about a mood change. From this morning up until now was a whirlwind of obstacles, emotions, and things she rather forget. Except what happened in the bar, that she wanted to remember. Her lower lip sucked into her mouth on cue thinking about his naked body ravishing her.

"I don't know." He responded.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know." Christian's spoke through gritted teeth.

"But," she continued to push for a real answer. One she knew lied somewhere inside him, but he was unwilling to give up. What was he holding back from her?

"I said I don't know!" His tone was harsh and threatening. "Drop this, please."

"Why?" Ana sat up now looking at the man that she had come to know within the past 24 hours.

"Because I don't want to talk about it. Okay!" His hand dragged over his face and he rubbed his chin. With one push off the ground, he stood up and paced a few steps away from her.

So there was an answer. Something had happened to him and now he was bottling it up inside. What was it? What happened to him to make him shut down like he had before? Ana scanned the cracked pavement below her and felt a sense of bravery come over her.

"You don't want to talk about it or you can't?" Ana stated. "Or would you rather just screw me again?"

Turning on his heel, he faced her. He cocked his head to the side and amusement resignated in his face. "I don't recall you protesting." He stated. "In fact, I recall you begging me to screw you."

"Seriously?" She replied climbing to her feet.

"Yes." Christian stepped toward her making it clear that he was serious.

"You're the one that came on to me both times."

"And you were like putty in my hands." The corner of his mouth twitched up daring to show a possible smirk. "You can say what you want, but I know what your body wants."

Damn, he was right. She didn't even know why she was fighting him on the subject. It was obvious what her body wanted. The way it surrendered to him from just a full blown look was enough to confirm she was sexually attracted to him, and yet the attraction did not end there. But her frustration grew as he dodged her curiosity. That's what she wanted. She wanted to know what happened and he was not willing to oblige.

"And for the record," Christian moved closer to her looking her up and down with hungry eyes. "I screw you again in a heartbeat."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 - Christian**

One word could describe the moment that he found himself perpetually stuck in, and that word was _still._ The warm air that surround him was _still_. The clock placed on the nightstand displaying the early hours of the morning was _still_. His body as it laid on top of the soft sheets was _still_. Everything was too fucking still and his state of mind was too fucking awake. If only he could fall asleep, but something would not let him. Fear, maybe. Stress, possibly. Christian closed his eyes not hoping to drift peacefully asleep, but to rid himself of the heavy weight that he now carried that seemed impossible to shake.

Nothing. He sighed knowing it wouldn't be that easy, and so he brought the dark shadows of the room back into his line of vision.

The pads of his fingertips played with the thin fabric of the bed sheets that barely covered his lower torso. He sighed again and this time he turned his focus to the subtle breathing that came from the brown haired beauty next to him.

Pure, innocent and sincere, Ana slept on her side facing away from him. The luscious waterfall of her brown hair swept off her shoulder and down her back revealing the soft, sensitive skin of her neck that he had carelessly kissed only hours before. Warmth spread to his cheeks as he recalled the passionate embrace that had sparked down on the street after their argument and had led back up to the abandoned apartment. Below the thin sheet his manhood connected with the images of limbs, mouths, and audible moans. Not again.

His body betrayed him every time he tried to fight his natural urges that came along with being a male who was attracted to a beautiful woman like Ana. The last thing he would have ever imagined after waking up in a vehicle completely dazed and lost was fucking a beautiful stranger. Life could be worse though, and yet he knew deep down that it was.

With the duvet pulled up to cover Ana's delicious curves, he exhaled long. _You don't want to talk about it or you can't?_ Her words echoed in the once hollow space of his brain that now occupied the heavy reality of this place. The unknown was no longer as mysterious as it presented itself, and she was absolutely right, he did not want to talk about it. He couldn't talk about it. He wouldn't. What happened in those few short minutes between here and _there _was more than he could handle.

A chill snaked down his spine and he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Completely exposed, he bent down and picked up the boxer briefs he had discarded in a lust filled hurry and put them on swiftly. He needed to clear his mind, but he knew whatever cleansing thoughts he pursued would only be tainted with the truth as it lingered all around him. Christian ran the palm of his hand over his face as he huffed at the aggravating thought and groaned at the erection he had begun to grow simply from admiring her in bed. _Damn it!_

There was only one solution he could think of that would shatter the both for the time being and so he headed for the bathroom across the hall.

Slipping off his boxer briefs, he stepped into the shower and blasted the cold water against his skin. His teeth dug into his bottom lip as the beads of water felt like ice pelting him from every angle. It stung and every muscle in his body ached and screamed for relief, but he did not move. He remained still as he adjusted to the uncomfortable temperature. The throbbing between his legs had quickly dissipated as his manhood lacked in size due to the cold impact. Mission accomplished, but that was only part of it. His brain still racked him with haunting images of the truth.

"Fuck." Christian cursed as he placed his forehead against the slippery wall and he pounded his fist on it.

It all made damn sense. This entire charade of mirages mixed together to form a figment of reality had finally been pieced together like an unsolved jigsaw puzzle. And now he had to carry the burden of the truth with him, until what? This was where he was lost. He knew there was an end to the road he was on, but he didn't know what path to take to get to it. The light was shining, but how could he reach it and would he? The firm grasp of reality was so close, and yet so far. The possible and the impossible rocked back and forth on an unbalanced board. Sooner or later, one would fall off, but which of the two was the question.

A small hand touched his lower back and he inhaled sharply. Just like the cold water, it took him by surprise. His body tensed, but this time he did not remain still. Christian dropped his hands as he felt the arm that did not belong to him snake around his waist. He grabbed it and directed it up to touch his chest. Another hand mimicked the same motion and soon he felt her naked body pressed up against him. She hugged him from behind and he let her because he needed it. Her warm embrace somehow lit a fire inside him, one he wasn't sure he wanted to be lit, but was burning brightly whenever she was near.

"I know you know something that I don't." She spoke carefully as if she had practiced this moment in her head before she had joined him in the shower. "I know that whatever happened to you this morning must have been really fucked up."

Christian closed his eyes. _Beyond fucked up._

"I just wish you would tell me. I can handle it, whatever it is." Ana breathed as she rested her forehead between his shoulder blades. "You're all that I have and this is going to sound crazy, but I care about you."

"You shouldn't." He whispered.

"But I do. For some odd reason, I do." Silence danced around them for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Maybe it's this place, but I care about what happens to you."

Why was she making this harder? Why did she care? Why did he care that she cared?

"Something happened to us. I know that much." Her hands fell from his chest. "And...and I'm scared."

_Shit_. Fear was not a one sided emotion. She felt it, too. He turned around to find her head bowed. The mess of hair that sat on top of her head in a messy bun was now damp. Even like this she was beautiful, and immediately he hated himself for being caught in his emotions. _God, this was so fucked up._

"Don't be." Christian grabbed her shoulders. He had to put on a brave face. He could not let her know that he was scared, too. He could not let her know the truth. Taking his finger, he pushed her chin up forcing her to look at him.

"Just tell me." Ana pleaded.

"It doesn't matter." He lied. It did matter and he knew that somehow, someway she would eventually figure it out, if she hadn't silently done so already.

Her mouth moved to argue with him, but his hand tilted her lower jaw up to prevent her from another attempt to get the ugly answer he did not want to give. Instead he said, "Remember the first night in the bar? Remember what we talked about?" Christian spoke softly.

The life that beamed from her as she spilled her hope for who she was or wanted to be was a moment he would never forget. Though he did not participate in the "what if" scenario game, he liked the idea of it. He liked how she smiled and how it made him a smile. He liked how all the unknown darkness that surrounded them faded. He liked that there was hope even though now hope seemed nothing more than a four letter word. No matter the outcome, good or bad, he didn't want to think about it. He couldn't let himself drown in the truth because otherwise it would consume him.

Ana nodded her head to assure him that she remembered. Considering both their memories were swiped prior to that, it would be hard to forget.

"I want you to feel like you did in that moment right now." He stroked her chin with his fingers. "Because I don't want you to be scared. I don't want you to care about what might happen next to you or me."

"But I do care." Ana stated.

"I wish you wouldn't, but I guess I can't stop you from doing it." Christian exhaled deeply. "We've only known each other for a hot minute."

"Maybe we've known each for longer." She suggested. "Maybe we just don't remember that we know each other."

Christian bowed his head and smiled. "Doubtful." His stare raised. "It would be pretty hard to forget a face like that." His hands moved to her waist. "A body like this."

She had a point, but something in the pit of his stomach told him she was nothing more than a stranger. Someone who he found himself in an unfortunate situation with, but was attempting to make the most of it. What else could they really do?

As her body drifted closer to his, he knew the conversation was over, at least for now. He rubbed tiny circles into her hips as she slowly trailed her hands up his torso and to his shoulders. The water no longer surpressed his manhood as it rose to the occasion with great delight. She bit her lip as her eyes fluttered downward and upon his erection. He had to have her even if it meant right here in this damn shower.

Not wasting another minute drowning in their misery, he pulled her in and kissed her. The whimper she made as the contact of their skin met sent a fury through him that was red hot. Where was this heated lust coming from? And why did he feel it so strongly for her? There was no time for thinking and rationalizing when the lower part of his body was doing that for him.

Spinning Ana around, he let the wet tiled wall press up against her back as his body molded into hers. Their lips, tongues, and hands moved a million miles a minute as the passion carried them down the path of erotic seduction. The way her fingers tangled in his hair and pulled lightly than roughly as the intensity of their situation escalated made him groan all the way to his core. _Screw the foreplay._

"Ah!" She yelped as he picked her up and motioned for her to curl her legs around him. In perfection unison, their bodies connected. Moans and small shrieks of pleasure echoed all around them. Just being inside her made him twitch.

Tight and clenching all around him, Christian moved creating the right amount of friction. The way her breasts bounced with each thrust made him swell more only finding himself barely keeping it together. He had never seen a woman so sexy and beaming with natural beauty in his life, that is of what he could remember. Was she his type? Did he ravage women all the time like this in bars, in stairwells, random beds, and now showers? It was mind boggling to not know who you were and yet be someone that did or didn't fit the mold.

"Oh my God." Ana whispered.

Her legs constricted his waist as each thrust of his became quicker, faster. His scalp ached as she tugged his hair knowing she was reaching her grand finale, and so was he. Their lips touched briefly as they panted and he yanked at her bottom lip causing her to toss back her head. Her hard nipples poked his chest and he dipped his head to her exposed neck letting himself spoil her with his mouth. "Don't stop." She cried. _Never._

Feeling himself become sloppier with every move that he made, he knew his body was ready to reach its high note. His hips shook and his grip grew firmer around her ass cheeks as he could no longer hold back. Inside her he pulsed and released a sweet symphony only to be met with her tune seconds later. Finally, they had shattered the world around them again.

An hour later, Christian found himself admiring her as she slept soundly and noticed the early hours of the morning as it began to break through the cracks of the apartment. He sat at the edge of the bed with his elbows on his knees and he turned away from her. Hot air escaped him as he sank back into his dark, depressing hole of reality. He metaphorically stood on a line of conflict. A part of him wanted to run toward the truth and bring her with him. This unknown world could be easily erased, but that was just it. He already knew so little, and this place knew so much. Each passing minute, it stored the new memories of him, her, and of them. If he ran toward the light, what would this place become? Where would he go? Where would she go?

As he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and reopened them to find a sliver of light touch his foot, he retracted it back immediately. Even if the light was ready to guide him, he wasn't ready for it to do so. Whatever was waiting for him over _there _could wait. And Ana, she would wait with him. This secret of his he would keep. Because in this world, life and death could wait.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 - Ana**

The man in white, when would she see him next? And why was she seeing him at all? Who was he? And what did he want?

Ana sat on the curb of the barren street as she fiddled with her fingers and looked down at the pavement purposely. Three. Three times she had seen the man in white and each time it felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest. The first time was outside the bar as she had so wonderfully spiraled down from her high thanks to Christian. The second time had been in the door way of the bedroom, which nearly scared the shit out of her as she awoke to find that she was being watched. And the third time had been just now.

"Go away." She mumbled to herself as she closed her eyes shut.

He never said or did anything. The man in white just stood there with no expression on his face. It was as if he were a hologram. Not completely real, but whole enough to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Please."

Unsure whether to keep this spook to herself or not, Ana knew that despite her fear of the man in white, who seemed harmless, she did not want to burden Christian with her problems. He had enough of his own as it was.

Ever since _that day, _when he fell to floor unconscious and awoke distraught and shaken he had not been the same. The unspoken battle that conflicted inside him had shattered his existence, and she wished she knew why, but remained hushed about the matter. He wasn't a man who liked to talk. In fact, they hadn't done much talking at all. Warmth rushed to her cheeks at the thought of how they had truly occupied their time, and any thoughts of the man in white had washed away.

Sex had become a distraction. A welcoming one at most. It took their minds off the illusion of their reality. It was an escape that magnified their senses and focused on the now. It was a body shattering high that was addicting and just the thought of his mouth, his touch, his body pressed against hers was enough to make her crave the distraction more.

"Ana." Her name reached her ears and she was quickly swept away again from one thought to the next. The man in white had vanished, just like he had the two other times before as she reopened her eyes to find the street empty again, except for him. Christian hovered behind her and she rose to her feet brushing her hands against her backside.

"Are you okay?" His concern was laced with knowing. Deep down she knew Christian was aware of what was going on, maybe more so than she did. Deep down she knew whatever ugly truth he held safe inside was bad. Deep down she knew the possibility of her fate, her reality, but was too scared to say it out loud. Announcing what she knew as the worse case scenario would make it real and right now she didn't want to face reality. She wanted the illusion, the chance to be free of responsibility, and the emotional connection that her and Christian had stirred up since day one.

"Yes." She lied as her eyes scanned the street. Nope, they were completely alone. Just the two of them.

"Come, I want to show you something." Christian nodded his head in the opposite direction and she followed, but not before she checked over her shoulder once more. Anywhere and anytime the man in white could reappear and she felt on edge. Not because she feared him, but of what he meant. Some underlying meaning was hidden in his silhouette, she knew it. But what? She had a theory, one that matched her worse case scenario and it sent a shiver down her spine.

_A city of this size should not be this quiet,_ she observed as they passed stores, buildings, offices, restaurants, bars, and the rest of the establishments that made up the lined the streets. She imagined the sound of honking horns, faint music, and the aroma of exhaust mixed with local dining that should be filling the air around them, but none of it could be found. Only the footsteps of her and Christian echoed on the pavement and it made her sad. The silence allowed her mind to wander to the depths of her soul. Somewhere buried amongst the rumble that trapped her was her true self. The girl that lived and breathed with memory. Now, she was nothing more than a body that drifted along reacting to the present.

Ana shuddered at the morbid thought. She hated that she felt all doom and gloom, but it was impossible not to be consumed by such a depressing thought. It wasn't everyday you woke up in a strange place with a strange man with little explanation of where you were and who you are. A lost soul at most.

"I wished you smiled more." His words took her by surprise.

"What?" She asked even though she had heard him clear as day.

"I miss the girl from the first day. She smiled and laughed." Christian noted. He bowed his head and placed his hands in his pockets.

"It's a little hard to smile and laugh when things keep giving me reason not to." Ana replied. Her heart sunk at her response and she cringed knowing how awful it sounded, but it was the truth. Besides the moments that they found their naked limbs tangled together, there wasn't much joy to be had. Sure, there were small instances that made her smirk or briefly forget about the negative side effects that this place offered, but those were rare. And usually those rare moments came on Christian's behalf. He was trying and so was she because somehow they had to find the good in this. Somehow they had to hang on.

"Anyways, most of that was due to liquor."

"Blame it on the alcohol." He playfully snickered.

"Where are we going?" Ana sighed. The street ahead of them seemed long. This had been the farthest they had ventured off from home base, if that's what you would call their initial meeting place.

"It's not much further." Christian assured her. His lips quivered daring to rise into a smirk. There was that rare moment. A moment of happiness, excitement that radiated off him and reflected back on to her.

Suppressing her grin, she continued to walk next to him down the street. Somehow the buildings got taller and she began to feel smaller. Behind each door held some secret, some truth and she wondered what answers they could find if they really explored. But the chance of that was slim because the truth was a lot closer than she ever thought it would be. The truth walked, talked, and bottled itself away in the form of Christian. A fire lit within her core knowing he was being selfish, whether he thought it was right or not. His lips were sealed and the key was no where to be found. He was a ticking time bomb because eventually he would spill and the truth would drown her, she just wondered when that would be and if she would ever be ready for it.

_Thump. _Ana paused as the low sound startled her. One, two, three steps Christian took before he stopped, too. He looked over his shoulder at her with a questioning expression.

_Thump. _There it was again. At first she thought maybe she had just heard a faint sound that was created in her imagination, but this was real. This was not internal. This was external and near. Ana listened carefully again.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" He asked. A shade of white casted over his complexion and he appeared nervous.

"I heard something."

"Heard what?" Christian asked his eyes darting every which way.

"Like a thump." Ana answered and she placed her hand over her heart. _Like her beating heart?_ Maybe she had been delusional because now the sound had ceased. Maybe she had dipped into her soul so deep that she had heard her own heart beating in its rib cage loudly, but that was odd either way.

"I think I'm losing it." She whispered.

His hand touched her shoulder and she peered up at him through her hooded gaze. "Come." He insisted. No agreement on whether her insanity was intact or not, he didn't acknowledge what had just happened. He ignored it and she knew he had heard it, too. But why had he been so quick to dismiss it?

Turning on his heel, he grabbed her hand and she followed again. What was that? First, the man in white and now a thumping sound. Tears formed suddenly in her eyes and she fought the urge to cry. Insane or not, something or someone was trying to reach out to her. A message from beyond. Ana let out a shaky breath feeling the reality sink in and wash over her.

She stayed solemn until she felt her arm being nearly pulled out her socket. He tugged her along as he feet dragged and metaphorically melted into the asphalt because right now all she felt like doing was falling and never getting back up. The depression was taking hold of her again, and she wasn't stopping it. She didn't know how.

"I think it's, yes!" Christian mumbled to himself.

Unsure of where his excitement had stemmed from, Ana glanced up to find what had made him so eager. Her mouth gaped open at the sight before her and she moved freely with him as they moved closer to their destination. "Wow."

Beyond the buildings, skyscrapers, and lonely streets was the most beautiful thing she had seen since she wound up here. A massive body of water crashed along the shore and the concrete barriers that prevented it from trickling over into the uncivilized area. In the distance, a tiny lighthouse painted white with red roofing sat upon a makeshift rock island. The water swayed rhythmically around it. A pier branched off the street that ran parallel to the water sat empty and scarce. From where they stood it almost looked haunted, but so did this entire place as they were the only two to inhabit it.

"I knew it." He murmured and let go over her hand. Christian walked closer to the edge of the hard surface and she watched as his shoulders rose and fell as he inhaled the scent of fresh air. He stayed like this for a minute before he looked back at her and urged her to join him.

"How did you know about this?" Ana curiously wondered seeing as the there was no hint of this from where they had been before.

"At the bar there was a picture on the wall." He explained. His gaze still admired the beauty before them. "It was a picture of a lake and somehow I just knew."

"What picture?"

"In the hallway toward the bathrooms. It caught my eye earlier. It was beautiful and somehow I knew this place wasn't far." Christian sighed.

Silence engulfed them as they stared out at the miles of water that just seemed to go on and on. Blue sky, blue water, and his blue eyes scanning the surface angelically. Ana silently watched him as his face relaxed for the first time in awhile. When he wasn't so worried or closed off, he appeared young. Life was a blessing and right now he was being blessed by so much of it. She wished he would look like this more often, and immediately she thought back on his observation. _I wished you smiled more._ Like she said, it was hard to find a reason to smile when there weren't many, but right now, here with him looking out at Mother Nature's creation was reason enough. And so she smiled.

Air expanded her lungs. The sound of the water as it danced along the shore and the other solid objects that got in its way soothed her. Her body gravitated toward the ground gracefully as she sat with her legs crossed and let herself accept the moment for what it truly was, beautiful. New tears formed in her eyes not from fright or the unknown, but from joy that she thought she could no longer feel. Up until this moment, she did not realize how much she needed a moment like this to breathe, feel, and let go of her anxiety. It was the closest thing to perfect.

"Thank you." Ana exhaled with her eyes closed.

"You're welcome." Christian answered. Somehow he just knew what her words meant without an explanation. The way he took notice to her actions, reactions, and subtly. Had a man ever been so keen to her before? Had a man ever looked at her the way he was in this very moment?

"What?" She filled the void of speech that appeared to be missing.

"There it is."

What was he talking about? What was there?

Christian lifted his hand and brushed his thumb across her bottom lip. He traced the outline as it moved up and he mirrored her expression. "That smile." The genuine appreciation for such a simple gesture was apparent. Did she really have that great of a smile?

"All thanks to this and you." She motioned out toward the lake and then locked her eyes back on him. Something was shifting. Something was changing. The attraction from before was glowing. It was expanding ten folds. Her heart pulsed at a different pace. The way her palms sweat was new. Why was she feeling nervous? Why was she feeling like this at all?

"I want to kiss you." Christian stated, as if he was asking for permission. Why now? Nothing had stopped him before. In fact, nothing stopped him from ravaging her body and stripping her down to the her very core.

"Then kiss me." The words were out of her mouth before she could process. Leaning in, he touched the back of her neck gently and his eyes fell to her lips. Delicate, careful, and sweet he kissed her. No urgency was behind it. His lips stayed upon hers like this for a few seconds and then it was over. "That's it?"

Hurt. There was hurt in his eyes and she knew this time he didn't understand what she meant.

"Hours before you couldn't pry yourself away and now your just so," she sighed. "Calm."

"Trust me." Something sparkled in his eyes. "It's taking every ounce in my body not to lay you down here and have my way with you."

And there is was, the lust that coursed through his veins for her, and her for him. If he didn't stop looking at her like this she was about to jump him. She wanted his lips upon hers. She wanted him, but it wasn't the time or place. Sex was not the answer. It was not the distraction they needed. Right here, right now, this was all they needed.

Taking the adventures onward, they had traveled to the pier that creaked as the winds rustled past them. A ferris wheel towered over her and the empty cars swung back and forth. With no one inside those cars, it just appeared creepy. A place that normally would gather lot of people screamed abandoned and unwelcoming. It unnerved her.

The once deep blue water was now dark and the way the waves crashed below her were not as enticing as it had been earlier. As light faded and night time shallowed her whole, the ominous lurking of the unknown crept. The lingering of her morbid thoughts swayed inside her head as she desperately tried to push them away. More and more, she knew she could not pretend to be OK with what was going on forever. No matter how wonderful it felt to be kissed, held, and worshipped by him, somewhere past the dark waters was the light. A bright shining light that would guide her to where she should be.

Ana drew in a long breath._ Should._ She _should_ be somewhere else, not here. However, that didn't mean she wanted to be _there_. Honestly, she didn't know where she belonged. Here. There. Everywhere. Nowhere. The confusion that came with each waking minute tortured her because she felt as if she was being pulled every which way. One way said, YES! The other way screamed, NO! How was she supposed to chose when she didn't know which was right and which was wrong.

"You're doing it again." Christian's tone showed signs of disapproval.

Returning from his hunt for food, water, and some warmer clothing, he draped a jacket over her shoulders and handed her a tray of french fries. The growl in her stomach had stopped. Her appetite had vanished. But the chill was very much alive.

"Doing what?" Ana asked setting the fries down.

"Letting all of this get the best of you." He waved his hand in front of him. "Don't. I try not to."

"I'm sorry that I can't keep things bottled up inside me like you do." Her voice was a little harsh.

"Ana, stop." Christian warned her.

The pressure was in her chest again. Their peaceful moment from before was now just a memory. She enjoyed it really, but once again it was just another distraction. One she knew would fade. She had just hoped it hadn't been so quick.

"I can't." She confessed.

All these dark thoughts, she couldn't just keep them to herself anymore. Maybe he could keep the truth from her and all his emotions inside, but she couldn't. She needed to vent. She needed to say what she had been thinking out loud since the moment she got here. Whether she was right or wrong, she didn't care. If she didn't, she was sure she was going to burst into a million pieces and scattered her soul across this city and the lake.

"I just," Ana leaned forward pressing her elbows into her legs. She placed her hand below her chin for support. "This place. It scares me, and yet I find comfort in it. That's messed up."

"No, it's not." He whispered. "Because I feel that, too."

"It's like my body wants to be in two places at once. I want to be here, but I want to be there, too."

"And what's so great about there that you want to go to it?" Christian asked.

A minute passed before she spoke. "I don't know." She shook her head. "I honestly don't know. I just feel drawn to it."

This time he did not respond and she figured she wouldn't get one as she continued to spill her heart and soul out to him about how she felt about this place.

"You don't have to say anything." Ana announced. "In fact, I don't want you to say anything. I just want you to listen because I need to talk. I need to get this off my chest, whether I'm right or wrong, it's eating me alive."

The slight nod out of the corner of her eyes told her he understood. She quickly glanced his way and saw how he stared out over the water with intensity. No emotion to he traced along his perfectly structured face.

"I know what happened, I think," Her voice began to quiver. "This place. This is the end. This is where you come to be judged before you die, I think." Nothing. Not a peep out of him or any sign that he agreed. She blinked her eyes feeling the threat of tears again.

"And maybe you were right in the beginning, maybe this is our second chance to redeem ourselves." her hand reached for the tear that fell and wiped it away. "Maybe we have to prove ourselves worthy. I don't know. But how long will it be before our judgement is served?"

Life and death, you don't really think about it until you're faced with it. And right now, she had no idea what she was facing. A second chance at life or death at a young age? If she really was on the brink of departing, then what had happened? How did she end up here and why? Did she deserve to be here or was she put here without choice? So many questions and so little answers.

"I guess we'll never know until it's time."

"Are you done?" Christian finally dared to speak.

"What is wrong with you?"

All he had to do was listen. He didn't have to be so rude. Intentional or not, clearly this topic was off limits with him and she just wanted to know why. Actually, she knew why because something had happened to him back in that apartment. Something spooked him so bad, that he had vowed to not talk about it at all and that bothered her.

"Nothing!" He gritted through his teeth.

"Bullshit. Something is bothering you and we both know it." Ana turned to face him. "You do know it's unhealthy to keep your emotions inside. You do know that at some point you're going to have to tell me what happened to you."

"I don't have to do shit!" Christian argued. His forehead wrinkled as he squinted his eyes and looked at her. "For once in my life, I don't have to answer to anyone but myself."

"What does that mean? Wait, do you remember?" Her defense dropped like a pile of bricks, hard and heavy. The anger that rose inside her evaporated because now she wondered if this was what he had been holding back from her.

"No. I don't remember." The defeat in his voice was genuine. He really didn't know. It had just been statement. "No matter who we are, we all answer to someone. And for the first time, I don't have to do that. I don't have to abide by rules. I don't really have to think. I just can be...free."

"Free?"

"Yes, free." He replied.

"I never really thought of it that way."

"Well, maybe you should start." This wasn't a suggestion. It was more of a request.

Rising to her feet, Ana placed her hands on her hips, "I'll do whatever I damn please, thank you." She stated. "I may take your advice, but that doesn't mean I have to answer to _you._"

"I never said you did." Christian mumbled.

"Well, you sure act like I should." He would deny that. This argument would get them nowhere, but she heated and so was he and she felt the hateful words leaving her mouth before she could stop herself. "You and I, we're just two passing ships."

"Two ships, huh?" His voice sounded amused.

"Yes."

"Is that all I am to you, a ship?" He rose to his feet and stepped toward her. _Oh no._ "Because that kiss earlier said otherwise."

"It was just a kiss." Ana protested, but knew fully well that kiss was so much more.

Another step toward her and the distance would be gone, but Christian remained still. "Your body says otherwise. Don't tell me that I'm just some ship to you." He glared and even under the moon light his eyes shined bright. "I honestly don't give a fuck what this place is or what might happen to us because right now, all I want to do is show you how I'm more than a fucking passing ship."

_Shit. _His anger fumed from his pores and it was hot. She recalled a moment like this before as they argued and how quickly it turned into something else. Something that involved less clothes and less talking. Her mouth became dry and her heart picked up a pace. _Shit!_

"And what if I don't want you to show me?" That was lie. She wanted him to show her, badly.

"Christ Ana!" Christian stepped toward. His hands touched either side of her face. "I'm about to explode. You getting all fired up makes me all fired up and right now I want to have my way with you."

"Is this just another distraction from the obvious?" She asked not taking her eyes off him.

"Of course it is, but you are much more than a distraction!" His confession spilled out him. "Out of all this shit, you are the only good thing that has come from this."

Forget the anger. Forget the confusion. Forget this place because all she wanted was him. All of him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 - Ana**

Two sets of lips. Two pairs of greedy hands. And two people who were completely baffled by their situation had succumbed to the radiating lust that blossomed whenever each other were around.

So she was a distraction, but in Christian's book she was the best damn distraction there was, and it made her smile.

Tiny dancers swayed, pirouetted, and leaped inside her as his hungry lips devoured her with great need and desire. Her hands connected with his biceps that felt the definition that had been masked beneath his shirt. Straight from a the cover of a steamy romance novel, he was built to perfection and layered with conflicting emotion that was buried deep down in his dark soul. Ana smirked at the thought as their mouths opened and closed breathlessly. Had she really just compared him to a fictional character? _Yes! _Even if the comparison made her chuckle, the irony was evident. Christian was very much the good looking mystery that so many girls wanted to solve. She was no exception. And yet, a mystery that she had not chosen to come by.

A brisk breeze chilled her bones as the water lapped against the pier. She shivered only for an instance before she was immediately engulfed in warmth from the heat of their passion again. The way her body surrendered to him upon contact was somewhat alarming and yet somewhat exciting. How was it possible to be so attracted to one human being? A human being that she barely knew and had connected with in more ways than one within the matter of a few days.

Disregarding her lack thereof memory and conscious, Ana embraced being with him. It was the most exhilarating thing she had ever felt. It was the only thing she wanted to feel and she wanted to wrap herself in a blanket that was crafted of all things Christian. He was the epitome of hot and cold, and right now he was red hot.

"Let's move this somewhere more intimate." He mumbled his request upon her mouth.

More intimate? Where did he have in mind? The pier had endless possibilities when it came to dark corners and secret coves. Ana blushed at the thought. Was she honestly this type of girl? The one that surrendered herself to any attractive man, or just him?

The questions that fogged her head somehow always managed to slowly come back. Every inch of this place, her, and him held answers that only sprouted with more questions. Now, however, was not the time to dissect the psychology and mystery of it all. What she wanted was to dissect that situation in front of her in a very hands-on kind of way. Her lower lip retreated into her mouth as the daydream of scattered clothes, sweaty bodies, and cries of pleasure echoed in her head. Yes, this is the sort of thing she needed to fill her mind with, even if they were erotic and sinful.

"Here," Christian uttered.

Their legs moved in sync as they darted through the glass doors and were masked in the moonlight that spread across the shiny floor below them. Christian halted as he rocked his weight back and forth on his legs to find the ideal spot to continue their charade. Left, right, left, right. This was taking longer than she wanted it to, but before she could protest to his desired destination and confess that she would be perfectly fine with losing themselves in each on the very floor below their feet, she was being whisked away again.

Straight ahead was a small stage. A place for entertainment, where people performed and let the spotlight shine down on them rightfully so. But there was no one to entertain them. In fact, they were about to become the entertainment. A very erotic and amplifying performance. The warmth flushed her cheeks once more. As risque as it was, there was no one to witness their sinful act. Not a soul. Not a pair of eyes or ears in the vicinity. The spine-tingling chill from before returned.

In front of the stage, Christian stopped and spun around to face her. His hands combed through her hair and his lips connected with her sweet mouth. This man was mad for her, and her for him. The mutual infatuation ignited upon contact and she felt herself tremble as his hand traveled down her back and beneath the hem of her shirt.

With her shaky hands on his shoulders, he pushed her closer to him not letting an ounce of space to separate their embrace. God could this man kiss! And boy was he aroused. Up against her leg, she felt his hard erection struggle to break free from his pants that constricted it. Lust blinded her and casually her hand dropped from his shoulder and down to the part of him that wanted her more than anything else. Instant gratification rewarded her ears as he moaned and pressed into her palm.

The most predator like groan echoed around her and his hands squeezed her ass before he lifted her onto the stage and pushed her back. He followed as he pushed himself off the ground and they crawled their way to center stage. It was showtime!

Ana watched as he flicked the button her jeans to open and he forced them off her legs. She bit down on her lower lip hard as his lips moved from her knee closer to the part of her that wanted him more than anything. The heat doubled in temperature between her legs as his hot breath touched her and he ran his nose between the crease of her underwear. Okay, she had to admit this was the best damn distraction that possibly existed.

As she arched her back and naturally tangled her fingers in his hair, her body made tiny convulsions from the pleasure that coursed through it. At this rate, she would skyrocket to the moon and back if he kept up his wicked ways between her legs. Letting him know this, she tugged on his hair and a low growl came from this throat. Christian's eyes locked on hers and instantly he took the hint.

At world record breaking speed, they dispersed their clothes all over the stage. She glorified in the sight before that was all muscle and flawless skin as he crawled on top of her. His head dipped down and she moaned as he kissed, licked, and sucked on her neck. _Damn!_ He was a natural born sex machine.

The rise and fall of her chest grew faster as he breaths grew shorter and more shallow. As he continued to tease her upper region, his hand disappeared further south toying with her endlessly. She lifted her hips to meet his erection and without hesitation he pushed himself inside of her. The cry that she wanted to let out ceased as his mouth attacked hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrusted into her torturously. A girl could get used to this. Hot guy, hot sex, what was there not to like?

Her eyes fluttered open as he broke their passionate kissing and he stared down at her. His body rocked synchronizing their motions together that created the perfect friction. She licked her lips and watched as he edged closer to his undoing and wondered what drove the lust behind the mask that seemed so perplexed at times.

The way his jaw locked in place initiated the amount of force he exerted to achieve the ultimate ending. The way he kissed her voiced how infatuated he was with her. But those weren't the things she took notice to. It was the way he looked at her like she was the only person that he wanted to be with and reveal himself to in a moment like this that made her heart skip a beat.

Trying not to read into his stare too much, she closed her eyes again and threw her head back as she felt her body betray her in all the right ways. Both their muscles tensed and their movements became more sloppy. The quivering of their sweaty bodies assured they were close and without question, the climax of their act on stage had been reached.

Ana spiraled down fast as her body internally exploded into a million tiny butterflies, as did Christian's. She had never felt more, what was the word she was looking for? Sated. Well used. Overjoyed. Whatever word she could conjure up in her speechless and breathless state, it was a sensation she enjoyed with complete satisfaction.

As Christian removed his sweaty forehead from her shoulder, a flicker of a smile showed on his face. His eyes darted up and down and from side to side as he stared at her. The expression he wore was new, one she had never seen before and she wasn't entirely sure what it meant. His facial features softened and something so peaceful radiated off of him. What was it and why was it mutual? The overwhelming reflection of this newfound emotion rocked her and she quickly strayed her gaze elsewhere, which was not hard to do. Just a few feet back on a bench, the man in white sat.

"Stop." She exhaled.

"What?" Christian asked. Her plea was not meant for him. It was meant for the figment of the man in white that continued to stalk her. His presence had become borderline annoying, and yet ominous. Somewhere in the depths of her brain she knew it was a telltale sign of something, but what?

Goosebumps formed on her skin. With the uncertainty of his intentions, she cringed wondering if the man in white was conscious and alert of his surroundings. Better yet, she wanted to know if he had just witnessed the two of them who had displayed their most vulnerable versions of themselves across the stage?

"Go away." She whispered, and she felt his body disconnect with hers. "No, not you."

Confusion hardened his once soft features of his face as he bent down to pick up his pants. He admitted that he believed her once, but would he again? The man in white could only be seen with her eyes, not his. Her choice to keep her sightings under wraps had finally reached its boiling point. She had to say something.

"It's the man," her voice shook. "The man in white. He's here."

As he buttoned his pants, he looked over his shoulder quick. The way he searched every row of benches told her he did not see him. He heart sank at the state of her sanity. Maybe she was slightly insane or maybe what she saw was out of her control. Either way, she felt unbalanced and unable to think straight.

"You don't see him." Ana sighed.

"No." His shoulders relaxed. The image of the man in white faded at the moment of his confession.

"He was just there on the bench." She dressed herself slowly and noticed Christian bow his head. Defense mode kicked in swiftly. "I know what I saw. I'm not crazy."

"I didn't say you were." He replied stuck in his slumped posture.

Ana hugged her arms around her body. "No, you didn't." She whispered in a small voice. "But I feel like you think that I am." Silence bounced off every solid surface in the vicinity. "I don't know why I keep seeing him or what it means, but it's happening more and more."

With not a single word from him still, Christian turned his head to glance at her briefly. Those beautiful eyes of his were laced with concern and fear. Every time she brought up the odd and strange aspects of this unknown world he appeared this way. Internal conflict rose to the surface, but he kept it simmered enough that it would not boil over. She knew this look well now. Whatever he did not wish to tell her was on his mind. The man in white somehow touched the sensitive subject and suddenly she grew frustrated.

Provoking him was an option, but she knew he would not budge. For some reason, it was a topic that was surrounded by yellow caution tape. She wanted nothing more than to tear that tape down and discover the truth of what he buried away in the holes of his soul. However, she did not have the strength nor the breath to fight him on it. Instead, she would have to ignore it and keep on ignoring it until finally he would crack.

"I just wish you would tell me." Her defeated thoughts escaped her.

"If I told you," Christian's rushed voice surprised her. The conflict was more present than ever and he stepped toward her. His hand extended out and his thumb brushed her lower lip. "Never mind."

"If you told me what?" Ana urged him to finish his thought.

Christian tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes. His somber tone rattled her bones. "It would change everything." And there was the first piece to the puzzle, but what would the truth change? It was such a vague response. She wanted to know more. She deserved to know more.

As he lifted his gaze back to hers, his mood shifted dramatically. His pupils widened and thin lines of wrinkles formed on his skin just above his eyes. "Oh my God, Ana. You're bleeding." He gasped and her hand rose to her head. Warm liquid oozed at her hairline and her fingers trembled as she saw the blood that covered them.

"Did you hit your head again?" He asked. His hands grasped either side of her head while he examined the fresh, and yet surprising injury.

"No." Ana answered and felt the rush of a dizzy spell coming on.

"Ana." Christian's voice began to fade and so did the room around her.

The worse throbbing pain imaginable pulsed at the very front of her head and she leaned forward. Pitch black darkness swallowed her whole as she felt her body grow lighter and lighter. What the hell was happening? She did not recall any sort of contact as of recently that would have caused such a sudden injury and one to this extreme. Her previous accident in the diner had faded and was nothing more than a tender spot on her head, but this, this was something much worse.

"A hospital." Her muffled words barely reached her eyes. "We passed..."

_Not again. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - Christian**

The turn of events that unfolded within a matter of a five-minute time span left him disoriented, confused, and most of all, concerned. Like a magnificent firework show, he had just skyrocketed into the most incredible orgasm that had shattered him all over the stage and the pier for that matter and by the look and sound of it, it had done the same for Ana. However, their moment of erotic bliss had gone to shit. Their glistening sweaty bodies were no longer perspiring due to thrusts and sexual pleasure but from fear and worry. Another moment ruined by the dreaded reminder of what lived outside the walls of their bubble that they gradually had built only to be knocked down once more.

_Fuck. _His filthy language rattled his brain as the fear and worry only amplified as warm blood oozed from the hairline of her beautiful head. Immediately, he panicked and searched for a sign that could explain her sudden oncoming injury. Had they got carried away in their grand performance surely to be plastered with an NC-17 rating? No. His only explanation for its cause shriveled his heart into the size of a grape and he knew not only had their bubble popped, but it had exploded and there was no way to rectify it. Reality had finally had enough. It was ready to seep its way into their twisted dimension and he was not ready for it.

Life vanished from Ana's eyes as she mumbled phrases and words and soon her body could no longer withhold the little strength that she had left. Quick to the rescue, he dipped with her fragile body and scooped her into his arms. The blood trickled down her forehead and dyed her hair a rusted color.

"Come on, Ana. Stay with me." Christian pleaded as he shook her body in his arms. He had to act fast or she would be greeted with a welcome he knew she was not ready for, and neither was he. "Fuck."

Ana needed medical attention, but the problem was there was no attention to be had and he didn't know a lick about tending to the sick or hurt. He was utterly clueless and royally fucked. The image of Ana dressed in nurse's scrubs upon their initial arrival and meeting made him curse under his breath as he walked with her limp body. If only she were awake, she would know what to do, right? Her attire obviously concluded to her occupation, one that she could not recall. Christian had only made an assumption and despite his educated guess, none of it mattered. Hell, Ana could have been the best damn nurse in the entire world and it still wouldn't help the situation at hand. He was losing her and there was no one to help her, but him.

The weight in his arms did not compare to the weight of the world that crashed down on his shoulders. This had been his fault. If he had just been honest with her, maybe she could have been more careful and aware of their situation. But how does one prepare for a head injury with no warning of it about to happen? Even if she knew the truth, it most likely would not have stopped it. What had happened to her was beyond his control.

Christian huffed as he carried her diligently out the doors of the massive building and out into the crisp air that smelled of lake water. _Hospital, _her last word fluttered in his head. The layer that had been ripped from her memory seemed to have surfaced as her world faded to total darkness. Although, any person with a God damn brain knew that a hospital visit was in order for such a wound. You didn't need a fancy medical degree or a white coat to make that assumption. Mentally, he typed in the destination into his internal GPS and by foot he began his trot down the pier and out onto the abandoned streets of the city.

As his feet touched the asphalt that made up the long drive that extended to the left and right of him, his muscles ached. She may have been tiny, but that did not mean that he particularly wanted to cradle her entire weight in his arms for many blocks. However, he had no other choice. He had to tend to her, and what scared him was that he wanted to.

The depths that he felt for Ana overwhelmed him. Newfound emotions and feelings sparked and ignited within him, ones he was not entirely sure he wanted to have for a girl he barely knew. She was merely a stranger in passing or so he had liked to think. Christian knew that she was more than a stranger. The odd predicament that they found themselves in had caused a bond. Like two magnetic forces, they had been drawn to one another. No matter what brought them here though, even if it was brutally horrific and a part of him knew it was, somewhere in his mangled conscious he knew that him and her, this place, it was not coincidental. Maybe it was meant to be.

_Oh, for fuck sake! _He hated to get all philosophical. He didn't even know if he believed in that shit, but he could not ignore where his mind wandered off to and he could not deny what he felt even if he tried. And yes, he tried.

Placing a temporary block on his erratic, emotion filled thoughts, he quickened his pace as his breaths became shorter. With no sign of an automobile or even a damn public bus, he had no other choice but to carry her and travel by foot. The lack of transportation had not gone unnoticed. Not a single car was on hand beside the two that had been stalled in the intersection of where they had woken up. It was strange, but so was this whole damn place. Depression swept through his body like a heavyweight and he huffed adjusting a weak Ana in his arms.

"Christian." Her barely audible voice whispered.

"I've got you," Christian replied and gripped his fingers tight around her fragile body. "I won't let you go. I promise."

She muttered something inaudible and he watched as the blood had begun to dry on her flawless skin. Not knowing the severity of her situation, he swiftly inhaled a deep breath and broke out into a jog. Her hair bounced and her lips quivered as he made steady strides that assisted him in reaching his destination faster. Silently, he thanked some higher being for giving him the strength and stamina to do so. Just because he had a decent body, did not mean he was equipped with the necessities to handle this much cardio. However, he seemed to be responding well.

As he rounded the corner, the air grew thicker and the street grew darker. Something ominous hung in the night sky and behind the windows and doors of the towering buildings. His eyes diverted in every direction on high alert. What was it that caused such a rush of paranoia? He did not stick around to find out.

Through the carousel of sliding doors, he pushed his way inside the white-walled hospital and searched for the right place to care for Ana. Small stations of desks extended down the main floor as if it went on forever. Large in scale on the outside, it was even more intimidating on the inside. With so many doors and hallways to choose from, he began his search for somewhere to let her rest, but the oddly shaped furniture would not do. The floor was too cold and hard. His best bet was to climb up a floor and so he did.

Not opting for the out of order elevators, he found a door that led to a flight of stairs and worked his way up until he saw, LEVEL 1, written on the next platform. He swung the door open violently and rushed to the first available room that he could find. A long, undressed bed sat in the middle of the room surrounded by foreign medical devices that he didn't dream to operate and wouldn't know how even if he had to. Setting her down, her body molded into the hospital bed and he quickly began to search for anything to help stop the bleeding. A tall cabinet on wheels caught his eye and he tore through the drawers to find gauze and medical tape at hand.

"Yes." He exhaled and placed it on the table beside her.

Fiddling with the supplies, he paused and ran his hand through his sweaty hair. Wait, do you clean the wound first? What if it's worse than he thought? What if she needs stitches? Anxiety swelled in his chest as the panic rose of how lost he felt. He had to help her, but what if he didn't know how? What if in the midst of helping he only made matters worse?

"Fuck!" Christian shouted and dropped the gauze from his trembling hands.

Slowly, he counted to five. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. And then he began again. This time without the fear and only with determination. The sound of his feet echoed through the room and into the adjoined bathroom where he gathered a fist full of paper towels and soaked them under the cold faucet. The water dripped from the towels as he flicked on the fluorescent light next to her bed that thankfully illuminated to life. His fingers stroked her blood stained forehead and pushed her hair back to reveal the wound. To his surprise, it was tiny slice that had been made just deep enough to gush out enough blood to make them both panic and enough to make her pass out. He sighed with relief.

"You fucking scared the shit out of me." He whispered.

Gently, he dabbed away the dried blood and patched up her wound carefully while admiring how peaceful she appeared under his touch. Such a beautiful, quiet girl who currently had a hold on his heart and intertwined herself into the deepest corners of his brain. The focus he had summoned slipped away and soon the thick air returned. Christian backed away from her bed and found himself leaving the room. He walked aimlessly until finally he reached a nurse's station and sunk to the floor. _Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. _His heart beat filled his ears.

_We're losing him..._the faint sound of a male voice carried down the hallway. _We need to get him up to the O.R. stat._

Christian shook his head at the words that had come to him in a dream. A bad dream that reminded him of this place and had caused him to wake up on the floor of a random apartment. A vivid dream that stuck with him the moment he woke up and realized he had to face a reality he thought he could not explain. But there was an explanation because that dream wasn't some imaginary scene that played out in his head. The voices, the shadows, the smell, the chaos, the harsh light, and the pain were all real and now as he stepped foot inside such a place, it all came rushing back.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump. _Against his rib cage, his heart beat once more. The reminder that life was there, but barely. By a thread, he hung ready to be snipped or re-attached, the choice was his. _Thump-thump. Thump-thump. _This time the sound traveled further away and he peered down the hall. Something was down there. The source that caused the hairs on his arms to stand up. The source that put him on edge. The source that told him if he came here, the truth would finally be set free. His gaze shifted back down the opposite side of the hallway and toward the room that glowed with the fluorescent light above the bed. He had to be honest with her. The truth had grown to be too much and it lingered too close for comfort.

How would be explain it to her? How would he make her understand why he did not wish to share what happened to him because it only confirmed what they both already knew? She had said it once and he had thought it more than he could count on both hands, but it did not change the fact that he was not prepared to face it. He did not want to say it out loud.

As he examined his hands and debated how he would turn a theory into a fact, he noticed Ana's blood was on them. Using only his leg muscles to avoid smearing the blood elsewhere, he forced himself off the floor and found the nearest restroom to clean himself. He scrubbed hard to remove the smeared red marks that outlined the indentations of his palms. The warm water and the excessive amount of soap caused his skin to become raw, dry, and rosy red. It seemed even after an intensive wash, he could not rid the color from his hands.

Splashing the water on to his face, he held onto the sides of the porcelain sink and glared at the man that stared back at him through the mirror. Dark circles outlined his sunken eyes. His facial features sagged and his skin appeared aged. Not recalling how many years he had inhabited this Earth, he knew that for someone his age, he should not look like this. The stress of the situation had taken a toll on his youthful appearance and he sighed heavily. _Some of this stress could have been avoided you dumb ass. _

Acceptance had been hard to grasp when he had finally come to terms with what had happened to him that day. One moment he was awake and ready to sneak a peek of Ana in the shower as he heard the water running from the room over and the next he was paralyzed. It was like he had entered another realm that was mostly dark, but the occasional blurred out image would greet him. Those images were filled with shadows and disembodied voices. Voices that were loud and hurried that shouted things that did not quite make sense at the time. And then there was the pain. It felt like someone had punched him hard and in every spot on his body. Everything ached while other parts of him were beyond miserable to the point that he wished he didn't have to feel anything at all. He wanted to be numb. He wanted to escape and he did, but when he did everything lingered. The memory the dream that he had been in was still fresh. His working senses had casually reminded him of what he had experienced and then it clicked. He knew what he had just been through. The place he had traveled to and where he sat on the floor of the bedroom of the abandoned apartment were two very different places, but one in the same. He knew what had happened to him. He wasn't the last man standing. He wasn't even real. He was a figment of his coma induced state. In other words, he was simply stuck in his own damn head in the attempts of try to find a way out and that way out had two options: either stay or go.

Christian watched as every muscle in his face tensed and his fist pounded the glass into ridged pieces that fell to the floor. Instantly, he felt pain and he regretted his action. He escaped the pain once and continued to escape it every time he was faced with it. It was too much to handle. He had never felt so much pain before in his life and he didn't want to, but the choice to continue on his pursuit to avoid the pain only meant one thing and he wasn't sure he wanted to do it alone.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump. _The sound of his heartbeat echoed all around him. "Shut up!" The palm of his hands covered his ears. _Thump-thump. _It was no use. It grew louder and it only drove him madder and the desire to escape. As he stumbled his way out of the bathroom, he ignored the reality that haunted him and went to go check on Ana, but before he could turn right, he found himself going left.

Ten rooms down to the right was where he had last left her, but ten rooms down to he left was where she stood in the dark hallway that had a foreboding notion to it. _No! _He squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe he thought he had just seen her, but when he reopened his eyes he was met with the solid outline of her petite frame. Collecting all the courage that he could find, he put one foot in front of the other and walked toward her. The walls on either side of began to close in. The pressure on his chest weighed like a ton of bricks. He focused his attention on her as two rooms at the very end of the hallways gradually glowed with a dim light. The heartbeat that belonged to him continued to pound and matched the high-pitch sound of a faint beep. His strides grew shorter and eventually he came to a stop as he watched Ana walk straight into one of the glowing room.

"Ana, no!" He shouted. A burst of energy exploded within him and he dashed to the threshold of where she entered. What he saw nearly took his breath away and not for good reason.

Just like all the other rooms, a hospital bed was stationed in the center of the room. Unlike all the other rooms, this one was occupied. Ana's shoulders shook as gasps and sobs coursed through her frail body. He took a step in closer to get a better view to make sure his eyes did not deceive him ad sure enough they had not. On the bed, she laid. Next to the bed, she stood. She was in two places at once. How was that possible?

It was simple. He knew the answer. He had known it all along. They had finally come face to face with reality. Something had happened to the both of them. Something bad enough to result to this. Something that had left them stuck and unable to get back to the real world.

"I was right. We're dead." Her tiny voice cracked.

"Not yet." Christian corrected. "Not yet."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Ana

_"Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome."_ \- Issac Asimov

What she witnessed before her eyes erased any mobility from her petite stature. Once again her breath had been knocked out of her by a swift invisible force. The adrenaline that had coursed through her bloodstream aligned with curiosity had come to a standstill. How was this possible? And while the shock of the matter hit her hard, why did she find acceptance underneath the surface of who laid before her?

Christian's confirmation behind her slowly sunk in. _Not yet. _What did that mean? She didn't need to ask to know the reply she would receive. The tears swelled in her sad eyes concluding what she had sensed from the start. Now, it just took on a whole new meaning.

The fast forward button on the metaphorical remote had been permanently pressed until now. Finally, things were slowing down again, but not in the way she had hoped for.

Distraught and blinded by the darkness that swallowed her only moments prior, she had been projected into her current setting wandering its corridors as if nothing had happened at all. The vision of Christian inside the building on the pier was the last memory she held on to, but somewhere in the depths of her brain she knew it was not. Outlines of others surrounded her and called her name. She struggled to see who they were and what they wanted, but an imaginary wall kept her from ever knowing or seeing more than it would allow and then it was all gone.

When she awoke, she realized she had been pulled back to the makeshift reality she had concocted. Her new surroundings engulfed her in a widespread panic and without hesitation, she bolted. Her wobbly legs carried her off the bed, out of the room and down the hall to where a glowing light attracted her attention. The guidance of the light frightened her, and yet it welcomed her at the same time. The threshold of the glowing source beckoned her and when she entered she knew there was no turning back.

Ana covered her mouth as a high-pitched sob escaped her. What had she done to deserve this?

Lifeless, powerless, and unconscious her body stationed itself in a bed surrounded by tubes, wires, and a constant beeping that displayed a wave of lines. A noticeable cut near her hairline could be seen and she brought her hand to the now bandaged wound upon her head in the same spot. Coincidence? Not likely, she thought.

Black and blue bruises marked her pale skin from head to toe. She shed a tear from each eye at the sight of her mangled and abused body. Like a reflection in a mirror, she did not want to believe what she saw, but could not deny it either. Cruel reality began to sink in and the current that came along with it was violent. Whether she decided to sink or swim against the current was up to her.

"Ana," Christian whispered.

"What the hell is going on?" Her voice cracked with emotion.

The moment she chose to spin around to face him, she immediately regretted her action. The loss of blood from her head injury had left her weak and dizzy. In double time, the room spun and circled out of control. Ana grasped the nearest object to steady herself, but his hands were what saved her from a terrible fall. As the image of the room balanced out and she regained stability, she slowly sank to the cold floor.

"I'm fine." Ana urged with her hand placed on her forehead.

Opposite of her, Christian took a seat on the floor and leaned up against the bed. He placed the palms of his hands flat on the ground and kept his stare locked on the wall behind her. News like this was not for the faint of heart, but something in his expression seemed less than surprised by what they had walked into. Sure, everyone would deal with a situation like this differently, but his way seemed almost prepared as if he knew about it. Then it dawned on her.

"Did you know about this?" She kept her temper controlled.

The flicker of his stare synced with hers only for an instance before his expression changed to irritation mixed with guilt. His silence only caused her to grow more impatient as he attempted to retreat from the matter being addressed. _Oh no, you don't, _Ana internally thought.

"No." He admitted.

"Then why aren't you surprised by any of this?" Her voice trembled.

Christian inhaled deeply to gather his thoughts and explanation. "That day you found me unconscious on the floor, I didn't just pass out." The confession she longed to hear was finally about to be told. Ana perked up and listened. "Something happened to me. Something that I haven't told you."

"I'm listening." The anticipation danced inside her.

"I heard you in the shower and so I decided to join you. When I stood up everything went dark," he slowly recalled that day painfully. "I felt paralyzed and unable to comprehend what was happening to me. Then there was this light, but I never could see clearly. There were people that surrounded me, but none of what they said made sense. All I knew was that they were worried. I could hear it in the tone of their voices. It was just chaos, but the worse part of it all was the pain. Everything hurt and it was the worst thing I've ever felt. I didn't want to feel it anymore and the next thing I knew I felt myself being drawn away from it all and then I woke up."

Voices. Light. A shiver crawled down her spine and weaved its chill inside her bones. Little did he know she had a similar story and experience minutes prior to his recollection. Ana chewed on her bottom lip.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to freak you out." Christian reasoned for his secrecy. "After it happened, I didn't know what to make of it, but then I knew."

"You knew what?" The answer he was about to give her was one she already had known, even if she didn't want to believe it or think it was possible.

"That this place, it isn't real. It's only what we make of it." He waved his hand around to refer to the hospital room. "Something bad happened to us and it brought us here. I don't know what or why, but we aren't dead, at least not yet."

"So you're saying we're stuck?" Ana concluded the obvious. "We're in a coma?"

Christian sighed, "Yes."

The old saying goes, sometimes the truth hurts and indeed it did. Emotionally, mentally, and physically it hurt to understand the situation they had found themselves in without an explanation of why or how. Christian was right, something bad had happened to them and whatever that was had caused enough pain and injury to bring them here, a collage of two worlds linked together in the depths of their mind.

Ana glanced at the end of the bed where her covered feet created a rise in the thin, white hospital sheet. The girl in that bed was real, so what did that make her? A ghost? A figment of her imagination? She examined every hair and freckle on her arm as if she were a mirage ready to disappear. The only logical, yet still slightly insane explanation she could define was the separation of body and soul. When her medically induced coma had been given approval and introduced to her body, she must have detached herself somehow and traveled here. Even the thought of it made her wince with the worry of her sanity.

"How do we find a way out?" She whispered.

"I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's not every day you find out you're in a coma."

His untimely humor lifted her spirit a bit. She smirked and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"I'm sorry, Ana." Christian's tone softened.

"For what?"

"For not being honest with you. For you having to find out like this." His apology was long overdue, but she did not want to hold her grudge against his secret any longer. They were in this together. They both had suffered tragically. Now the question was, how would they find their way back to the light? To life, itself?

"None of this is your fault, Christian," Ana assured him. "While I appreciate you being honest with me finally, you can't blame yourself for something you don't even know anything about. For all we know, what happened to us was a freak accident."

A million reasons could be crafted as to how they ended up here in this dream-like state, but only one was the definite answer. Not a single ounce of memory from her time outside this place had come back and until she found her way home, she would never know the cause of it all.

As they sat in silence, Ana returned her attention to her body. Had she been here all this time? And where was Christian? He had to be here, too.

Upon her wonder, a soft golden glow from the room over could be seen between the crack of the closed door and the marble floor. Instantly, she was drawn to it just like she had before as she left the room down the hall in panic. This time she knew what mystery was hidden behind the door and the subtle light.

Rising to her feet, she ignored her immobile limbs attached to her lifeless body in the tiny bed and walked straight out the door. Christian was hot on her heels as he grabbed her wrist to stop her from what she was about to walk into. "Ana, no." He pleaded.

"Christian, you have to stop running from the truth." The familiar mask he wore to protect him from revealing too many emotions was plastered on his face. She shook her head and his fingers slipped away.

With the slight push of the door, it opened and displayed a sight that nearly took her breath away. Nothing could have prepared her for seeing him like this. A man she barely knew she felt so much for and she wanted nothing more than to caress his bandaged hand and tell him that it would be alright. White bandages covered most of his body while the bruises were minimal compared to hers. A large gash on his chin swelled his bottom lip and she wanted to kiss it to mend his wound. The way he appeared before her and the image of him she had grown to known in more ways than one were almost unrecognizable.

As she plucked up the courage to face his flawless, uninjured face, Christian was nowhere to be found. She wasn't even sure if he had followed her into the room honestly. For a man of strength, he did not deal with being on the edge of death well. Could she blame him, though?

Outside the hospital room, she found him with on the floor with his legs extended out straight. The lifeless stare had returned and he did not acknowledge her as she sat down next to him.

"We'll figure it out." Ana tried to gain his attention. "We have to."

Christian remained silent. Something underneath the thick layer of the mask he wore bothered him. It crawled beneath the surface. What had him so turned off about the possibility of hope? Despite the overwhelming situation, this was one step closer toward something good, and yet he didn't seem the slightest bit amused by the idea.

"What are you so scared of?" She asked and touched his hand.

Jerking his hand away, he bowed his head. His rejection hurt more than it should have. She wanted to console him simply and seek the underlying problem at hand, but his distance proved he wanted otherwise. The man she had learned to grow fondly of over his compassion for her had disappeared. This man before her was cold and troubled. His mood swings were borderline frustrating and his insistent need to continue to put space between them all of a sudden was worrisome.

"What makes you so sure the other side is worth going back to?" Christian reversed the interrogation. While she had not said what her choice would be, either to surrender or survive, she knew what she wanted.

"I don't," Ana answered honestly. She had no idea who or what waited for her on the other side, but she had to hold on to the idea of hope. At least one of them did. "But what other choice do I have, stay here for as long as my mind and body allow? Or give up and die? That's not what I want."

"But how do you know what you want is worth it?" His morbid curiosity made her uncomfortable.

Ana sighed and leaned her head back on the wall. "I don't, but I'm willing to find out." She gulped and felt the tears fight its way back. "I have to fight this. I'm not ready to give up. I don't want to be stuck here when I know that I can find a way out of it."

"And you'd be willing to take that risk?"

"Yes." He answer was firm and confident. So much doubt filled him in his line of questioning and she hated it. "Sometimes," Ana looked to him, "You have to take a risk. That's part of life. It reminds us that we're alive."

Whether he pondered her philosophical banter or not, he didn't follow up with another question. Christian resumed his soundless presence and ignored her attempt to fight for his attention.

"What makes you so sure that it's not worth it? What are you so scared of that you wouldn't want to fight for your life?" She urged for him to answer her. No matter the question, she had always followed through with him. Now it was his turn.

The way his chest quivered with each breath confirmed he feared something on the other side. Had he seen more than he had cared to share about what happened to him that day? Had he collected bits and pieces of his memory that warned him about what path to take?

"Ana, please stop," Christian begged.

"No!" She argued. "I'm tired of you avoiding reality. You've done it from the moment I met you. You need to face it, Christian."

"Why?!" The volume of his voice rose an octave. "Why do I have to do anything? What could possibly be so great about what's over there?"

"What could be so great? The fact that there might be people who love you, people who care about you that want to see you wake up." Ana shouted. Her body trembled from the anger that stormed inside and the sorrow she held for him. "I don't get it. Do you want to die? Is that it?"

"Is that what you hope for? To wake up and see smiling faces around your bed?" Christian diverted the question back to her. He was good at doing this.

Ana ran her hands through her hair and stood up. The amount of emotions she currently bottled up were about to burst out like a firecracker and she needed to subdue it. She began to pace the tiny square tiles of marble on the floor.

"Yes. Yes, I do hope for that." She replied. "And I hope the same for you. Is that what this is all about? Are you scared there won't be anyone waiting for you when you wake up?"

The painful glance he gave her was enough to know he debated the idea. How could he think like that? How could he not have hope? How could she prove to him that surrendering was not the answer when survival was within reach? There wasn't much to offer, especially not now when they had hit rock bottom.

"I think I need some air," Christian mumbled.

He was running again. Any chance he found to avoid the blatant truth he grasped and held on to firmly. Maybe it was in his nature to run when things got tough. The farther he ran, the more distance he put between him and the problem. It wasn't healthy and she wished she could make him see that, but he was too damn stubborn to care.

Ana leaped forward and grabbed his bicep. "Stop." She begged. He did not move a muscle, however, he made it obvious he did not want to discuss his views or feelings toward what really bothered him. Not ready to put it to rest, but not willing to continue to stir the pot, she wrapped her arms around him. She inhaled his intoxicating scent and buried her face in his chest.

"Please," her voice was small and muffled against the cloth of his shirt. "I know you're scared. I am, too. I don't know what to expect anymore, but I have to try to find my way back. We both do. What do we have to lose?"

The stroke of his hand against her cheek broke her connection with his tear stained shirt. Through her long lashes and watery eyes, she gazed at him as his thumb brushed the base of her chin and casually the bottom of her lip. The way his jaw quivered eluded to his internal debate to say something. She lowered her head knowing that whatever was on his mind would remain only for him to know and him to know only. He was too consumed by his fear to let his true self be expressed, but to her surprise his lips parted and he spoke a one syllable answer to her rhetorical question. "You."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 - Ana

The rapid flutter of her heart inside her chest left her stunned by his complete honesty. She had not expected an answer, nor did she want one, but if there was only one response he could give, she was glad it was that one.

It was no surprise Christian had feelings for her, however, the strength of those feelings were not defined, not until now at least. Her cheeks flushed with warmth upon his disclosure and she sucked in her bottom lip again.

A sudden rush of overwhelming emotion expanded in her chest and the air she breathed became thin. The last twenty-four hours had proven to be trying and tragic. The realm of possibilities continued to sprout like weeds rapidly and wild. She wasn't sure how many more surprises her fragile soul could handle. Never in her wildest dreams would she had conjured such a situation, but apparently her comatose state had.

"You barely know me," she whispered.

The obvious had been squashed like a bug over and over again. Yes, they were strangers, but strangers with an uncanny connection and attraction formulated by the pretend reality they had built together.

"I know you well enough." Christian tilted his head down so their foreheads could touch.

Did he? She barely knew herself.

"Christian ..." Ana sighed.

If he was about to declare his undying affection for her, now was not the time. It would be too much, too soon. While she enjoyed his company in more ways than one, she enjoyed the idea of dissolving the barrier that kept her from the life she had hung on to only a room away more. Her discovery had blossomed a newfound hope and she was not about to let that slip from her hands. But, the way he touched her, stared at her, and searched her soul for the mutual affection he condoned for her had become an obstacle she did not know how to overcome.

"I don't want to stay here," she recited her deepest desire. "Please, now we know the truth. Just think, we can finally be free. We can live again."

The disconnect of their skin to skin contact caused her gaze to falter. A heavy disapproval sounded in his moan she knew he thought she could not hear. "And what if we do leave this place? That doesn't guarantee anything." He huffed.

"It guarantees life." Ana responded quicker than expected.

"Life," Christian humored the notion. "You and I both know we have no idea what waits for us on the other side. For all we know, we could be walking into a life of complete bullshit."

"I'm willing to take that chance," her internal conflict swirled and grew inside her.

He was right. With no memory and no clue to what waited for them past the bright light was slightly terrifying, but what waited for them on the dark side where light vanished and life ended was even worse. Half way between both was enough to drive one insane with time and she already felt herself falling under its spell.

"What if we don't remember?" Christian pondered.

"Then we'll just be continuing the trend." Her lighthearted comment did not amuse him.

"Damn it, Ana." The heat from his forehead returned as it touched the cool skin on hers. "That's the thing. I don't want to continue the trend. I don't want to forget about you. I don't want to lose you." His soft voice caressed her soul. Damn him for making this harder than it had to be.

"But what if we don't forget. What if we remember all of this." She shined a light on the possibility. However, Christian wasn't as optimistic as she.

"Highly unlikely." He shut down the idea.

Ana filled her lungs with as much air she could breathe in and exhaled, "I don't want to forget about you, too." She closed her eyes tight. "But I can't stay here, Christian, and neither should you." If he was going to try to convince her otherwise between life and death, he clearly did not know her at all.

Without hesitation, the distance he so commonly created had emerged again.

Taking a step back, he diverted his focus away from her and dropped his arms to his sides. Utter defeat colored his expression and he leaned up against the wall with his hands hunched over. She watched as his shoulders rose and fell as he collected his composure and temper.

"Why not?" He suggested.

_Why not? _Because this place wasn't real. Who in their right mind would want to stay stuck in a coma for days, months, or years? None of his logic made sense. The fight she carried, he did not. The fear he subconsciously let control him would be hard to persuade otherwise. Death was not an option, nor was this sort mirage of life they lived.

Wrapping her arms around her body, she made small strides toward the door of the room where her other half waited patiently for her to reconnect. How in the world could she make him see life was their only option? How could she convince him to not give up? His head was clouded with false content and mixed emotions, not saying she hadn't contemplated the joy of being in his arms either. Being with Christian was safe and warm. He blocked out all the evils and troubles of what surrounded and followed them down the rabbit hole they had found themselves in, but it wasn't permanent. No matter what he did or how many times they tried to ignore their reality, it always seeped its way back in.

"Because I'm not the only one who's fighting for me," Ana spoke upon her recollection of her brief almost departure when she had slipped away. "I know there are people on the other side that want me to come home. I think I saw them, heard them."

"When?!" The volume of his voice shot up an octave.

"Minutes ago, when you brought me here. It happened after I passed out." She explained. "I think you bringing me here brought me closer to waking up." A tear fell down her cheek. "And it scared me. It scared me a lot."

Ana buried her head in her hands and mumbled, "It all makes sense now. Everything." She reflected the odd, unexplained occurrences. "The man in white. He's a doctor isn't he? He's been checking up on me. He wants me to wake up too."

"Then just go!" Christian barked.

The emotion behind his response rattled her bones. He was mad, furious to say the least. One moment he begged for her to stay and the next he wished for her to be gone. What had him wound so tightly? What was he so frightened by on the other side? Or was he simply so attached to her presence the mere thought of letting go had nearly destroyed him? Ana hoped it was a combination of her theories and not one over the other.

Out of spite, she wanted to follow through with his demand and march into her hospital room slamming the door behind her. She wanted to block out all the negativity and search for the light to bring her home, but she couldn't muster up the courage to do so. Instead, she peered over her shoulder to find him with his forehead pressed against the wall and palms flat with his fingers spread out on either side of him. The imaginary fumes of smoke puffed from his pores. He needed to cool off. He needed an epiphany of logic to grace his state of mind. The internal war he faced had reached its climax.

The subtle beeps from the machines in each room synced and echoed down the hall. Without the sound of them bickering, the common noises of the hospital surrounded them and left a foreboding cloud that hung low.

Suddenly, the pressure in her head from her injury began to build. Ana placed her hand on the gauze that covered said wound and sought for a proper place to sit. Her feet and legs carried her into Christian's room and not a flicker of acknowledgment to her movement came from his direction as she entered.

Slowly, she sunk down into the cloth chair and tilted her head back. Between the two rooms, she was not sure why she had chosen to go to his, but she didn't bother to dwell on her choice either. The pain she felt was more of an annoyance than an ache, just like her situation at hand. She closed her eyes and sighed. The number of events that unraveled in the last few hours had been more than she could handle and soon she found herself surrendering to her exhaustion.

When Ana woke up, the view of the room startled her at first. She had hoped it had all been a nightmare, but hope had only got her so far. She was still very much living in her personal nightmare, a coma to be exact.

As she shifted in her seat, she noticed Christian had joined her. He sat opposite of her on the other side of the bed. Her eyes flickered from the living and breathing form of him to the stabilized and unresponsive form in the bed. It was odd to be witness to such a thing. It was even more odd to be a part of it.

"How long was I out?" Ana asked quietly.

His eyes lowered to his folded hands in his lap. "An hour, maybe." He answered.

The freight train of steam he had blown off out in the hallway had diminished, but the sadness and fear lurked around the silhouette of his body. She felt sorry for him. The realization of their situation had clearly swallowed him whole and spit him back out, but now fully. Bits and pieces of him were scattered all over, and whether he had tried to pick them back up, he was very much broken.

A shattered man confused with no direction and no hope. A man filled with great emotion for her and for so many things unsaid. Just as it had been in the beginning, Christian was a puzzle. A pure mystery and a good looking one at that. Her hand longed to reach out and touch him and assure him everything would be okay in the end. Her lips wanted to kiss him with great passion. She wanted to promise him she would never forget him because he was unforgettable. The compassion he had shown and made her feel for him hands down was the best feeling she had ever known. She didn't want to let go, but deep down she had to. The likelihood of this place, their makeshift memories, and everything they felt for one another would fade away. The was their reality.

"I'm sorry about earlier." Christian nodded his head, still no eye contact.

Unable to respond, Ana remained quiet. While he had every right to apologize for his outburst, she could not help but feel sympathy toward him. She understood the fear of what it meant to lose someone who you cared about.

"I want to show you something." He addressed her. This time his beautiful eyes were upon her.

"Okay," Ana replied and she stood up.

Out in the hallway, he grabbed her hand and they walked peacefully side by side without a word. In the dark and in the shadows of the hall, she saw it dead end. Where were they going? Upon her wonder, Christian pulled on her arm and a button on the wall illuminated an arrow pointing up. The sound on the other side came smoothly to a halt and two metal doors slid open. They stepped inside and he pressed another button that said, roof.

"How did you get the elevator to work?" She questioned him and observed the confines of the small space as it rose upward.

"Luck." Christian shrugged his shoulders and a smile trickled across his face. "Be thankful we don't have to take the stairs."

She was thankful considering her health. The pressure she felt before had temporarily subsided, but it didn't mean it wouldn't be back with a vengeance. How had Christian avoided any oncoming injuries was beyond her? She recalled his confession of the pain he did not want to endure from his casual slip into consciousness. Had it really been that bad? And why was she the only one of the two of them to match her injuries? Her thought was diverted as the doors of the elevator slid open many floors later and was welcomed with a sight to see.

On top of the hospital building, a million lights glistened in the night sky. Stars, office windows, street lights, and sparkling signs illuminated the world below her. The world she had roamed carelessly with fright and curiosity was something of a wonder. She had never imagined it like this and now she could never imagine it any other way. The slight touch of his hand caressed her back and she turned to see his face and eyes glow in the night, too.

"This is beautiful." She uttered.

"I thought you might like it up here." He scanned the city up and down every visible street.

"You knew about this?"

The secrets this man kept were endless. Christian bowed his head and the right corner of his lip twitched upward. "I've known about this for the past thirty minutes." He explained. "I needed air and so instead of going down, I went up to find it. I think I made the right choice."

"I'm glad you did." Ana smiled and found his hand. His soft eyes focused away from the bright lights. The moment she felt his gaze upon hers, she looked away. Sorrow formed behind the pupils, irises, and whites of his eyes.

"Ana," he began his attempt to speak. She prayed he would not convince her to stay away from the only option she knew was in reach. "I've been completely selfish with you. From the moment I met you, I have been and I'm sorry for that. You deserve a second chance more than anyone. You deserve to live and to be greeted by people who love you. You deserve it all."

So far, she was had not disagreed with what he said.

"I just hate the thought of losing all of this and you." Christian sighed a shaky breath. "And maybe by some miracle we remember, but for the sake of what we both know will happen the moment you wake up, I need you to know something."

"Know what?" Ana asked. His hands brushed against her cheeks.

His tongue darted out of his mouth and he licked his bottom lip. The internal debate he checked in with showed upon his face. A part of her knew without him saying anything at all what was about to pass his kissable lips. She braced herself for those three words and then like a careless whisper in the night, he said, "I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Christian

It's one thing to feel a certain way. It's another to admit to it.

The exterior of his shell remained strong and hopeful while his heart and every inch of him within trembled with anticipation. Would Ana feel the same way? Would she accept what he had just exposed on behalf of their situation, on behalf of how much he fucking cared for her?

The overflow of emotions captured and bundled together inside his chest was new and frightening. He struggled to contain and suppress what he felt, but it was not that simple. A man of dignity and reservation could not possibly crumble at the hands of a beautiful woman, but he had because honestly he did not know what type of man he was anymore. What he thought he knew and what he assumed had been stripped from him. He was nothing more than a lovesick man who could not bear the thought of losing her, and knowing that scared him even more.

Ana's eyes searched his face up and down with disbelief and utter shock. _Oh no, _he thought. By the looks of her reaction and the way she took a step back from him, he knew he was headed into another storm with her.

"You don't love me, Christian." Her voice carried off as she turned her back to him and folded her arms against her chest.

Who the fuck was she to tell him how he felt? If anyone was in denial here, it was her.

"And what makes you so sure that I don't?" Christian cross-examined her blunt statement. "What makes you the expert on my feelings?"

Maybe his last inquiry was a bit harsh, but so was the truth sometimes. She could build her walls up higher than the skyscrapers. She could clog her mind with mythical thoughts of her skewed reality, but none of it would change the fact that he loved her.

"Because you can't possibly love me. You don't even know me." Ana rattled off her short list of reasons, ones he had heard before. "You're just saying it because you think you do."

Up high above ground level amongst the twinkling lights, it was the perfect setting to make amends and proclaim his true feelings. A leap of faith was how he justified it. A chance to be shot down again. How would he make her see? How would he make her understand? But most importantly, how would he make her accept the waterfall of affection he had for her?

Christian licked his bottom lip and curled his fingers into the palms of his hands. His nails dug deep into his flesh and he counted to three before he reacted. This impossible woman aroused his temper with all her damn curiosity and knack for picking apart every little detail this place had to offer. It was aggravating, and downright infuriating at times, but he wouldn't have her any other way.

As he simmered his frustration, he knew he needed to take charge. He needed to show her how serious he was about his proclamation. The severity of their storm had peeked and he was ready to dive into the eye of it.

"You're right. I don't know you." He responded with one step forward in her direction.

"Exactly. You don't." Her agreement was quick. "You only know as much about me, as I do about myself." And that was the sad truth.

There was not a lot to conclude about her besides what was on the surface. Christian could only draw up what he knew and what he had learned in their short time together. So many things were left unsaid and so many things would go unanswered. Each to their own neither could give a thorough explanation of how they came to be. No history to define their mold, none they could remember at least. Their assumptions were all based on their current state, and while they stayed true to their form, one could not wonder if somehow this universe had changed them. None of that mattered, though. No psychological evaluations were needed, not when their time was of the essence.

The outline of her small silhouette stood motionless in the night.

_I don't know you, but I know enough and that's why I love you._

He knew she had a kind, courageous soul. Petite and fragile, her strength outweighed her structure. Her laughter and optimism were bold and beautiful while she held on to the ideals of a realist. Her beliefs never faltered too far, and through countless trials that tested them she somehow held on to hope. The infatuation was very much real.

On the ground, she scuffed her shoe against roof and sighed. "I think after everything," she continued to dissect him and his feelings, "You want to love me. You believe you need to because the idea of it is better than the idea of walking away from this with nothing at all."

How could she say that? How could she been so oblivious?

"You like the idea of sharing this place with someone else. You can't stand the thought of being alone and maybe that's what you're running from. Maybe subconsciously you know you're alone on the other side or at least feel like you are, and for the first time you're not." Ana rambled her not so far-fetched conclusion. "I get what we have is great. I do, but it's not love, Christian. It's just not."

Screw her rhyme and reason, even if it was logical.

"Why can't it be love?" He challenged her. "How do you know it's not?"

There was an obvious answer and he regretted he instilled the thought into her realistic head the second he said it. She would know because she didn't feel the same way. She didn't love him and that's what it came down to. This whole argument about how he felt for her was not mutual. His heart dropped into his stomach.

_Damn it, don't back down now._

Ana bowed her head and her shoulders signaled another defeated sigh. "It just can't." She replied. "You can't fall in love with someone you know nothing about."

"That's complete bullshit." Christian spat. "If I've learned anything from my time here with you, it's that anything is possible."

Who declared the definition of love? Love worked in mysterious ways and even in a comatose state, it was possible. He just knew it.

"Please, you're making this harder than it has to be."

"Ana," he whispered her name in the shadows of the night.

"What?" She asked with annoyance laced in her voice.

Christian stepped forward again closing the distance between them. His hand grasped her tiny shoulder and shuffled her to face him. Tear stains could be seen on her cheeks while more unshed tears swelled in her eyes ready to fall at any moments notice. Her spoken defense had said so much, but her expression she so carefully hid up until now said something else.

"What are you so scared of?" That was a loaded question.

"Nothing." She wiped her cheek. "I can't do this. Let's just go back ..."

"No." His hand cupped her chin delicately. "Tell me."

Her long lashes fluttered close and a drop of water appeared below her left eye. Her bottom lip trembled and he brushed his thumb against it to console her.

"Christian," she breathed. "It's just too much."

What was too much? Him? His love? This place? Maybe it was all of it. He understood his timing wasn't ideal, but when would it be? The second hand on the invisible clock ticked away in the back of his mind. This was his last chance to declare his love for her. He did not feel he owed an apology. She had to know how he truly felt about her. She had to hear it out loud, and so did he. It was the last bit of him he needed to share before she was swept away from him.

Suddenly, the reality of their situation consumed him and his arms wrapped around her tightly.

Bombshell after bombshell the information dropped with hazardous warning and he knew he had only contributed to it. Ana shook ever so lightly in his arms as she silently wept and let herself fall to pieces before him. He wanted to tell her everything would be all right. He wanted to promise her things would work out in the end, but would it? The sensation of hope ended at the bedside of his hospital bed for him. He could not make such a promise to her when he did not know what would happen. The situation was out of his hands and he hated it. He hated the thought of walking away from her. He hated the chance of never seeing her again. He hated the possibility of another erased memory that came along with waking up. He hated all of it.

"I love you." Christian kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Ana."

Those three honest words only resulted in heavier sobbing. He pressed her as close as humanly possible up against him and savored the moment for what it was. _Hush, beautiful girl._ His fingers stroked her dark locks. Her sweet scent warmed his soul and he finally let himself go, too.

Unlike Ana's weak exterior, he did not collapse as hard. The waterworks flowed like a silent movie and he dampened her hair with each drop that fell from his eyes. He loved her so much. He could not explain how it came about or why, but he loved her to the moon and back. He loved her like it was his only purpose in life, and while it terrified him to know how much he felt for this girl he barely knew, he welcomed it with open arms.

"Why is this so hard?" Ana mumbled into his soaked shirt from her tears.

He pulled back and raised her chin up so he could see her. Red puffy eyes, swollen lips, and with wet cheeks she looked beautiful. "Because it just is." He simply put it. "Ana, I don't expect you to say you love me back. I don't even want you to say it because you think that's what I want to hear, but I'm saying it because it's how I feel and I need you know that. Okay?"

She nodded her head and wiggled it so her hair moved away from her eyes. A hint of a smile brightened her fact underneath the stars and the lights of the city.

"I really like you, Christian. I care about you." Her voice was tiny. "And maybe it's possible that I love you too, but maybe I'm just not ready to say it."

_Maybe she loved him? _He didn't fully understand her explanation, but he listened and tried.

"I wish I had more time to explore my feelings for you. I wish I could say it back, but I just can't. Please understand." Ana bowed her head and bit her lip.

"Ana," he forced her to look at him. "When you know, you know. I would never want you to admit to something you're not one-hundred percent sure about. I understand."

A sigh of relief washed over her and he watched her visibily relax. Her hands that were once trapped between their bodies moved around his waist and she hugged him tight. This girl, the one he loved, cared about him. He knew it and as much as secretly wanted her to say those three words back, he could not force it out of her. You can't force love. It just has to happen naturally. He just wished he had more time with her to actually hear her say it.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed and clasped either side of her face in his hands. "I wish I would have met you in another life. I wish this didn't have to end like this."

"Me too." Ana leaned into his touch.

Like a frantic teenage boy, his heart beat inside his chest. He didn't know how much time he had left with her. It could be minutes, hours, but their end was near. He didn't want to waste another second with her disputing an argument, so he did the only thing he wanted to do the moment he brought her up here. Christian kissed her. His lips devoured her taste and he poured every emotion he felt toward her behind such a simple, but empowering gesture. His fingers tangled and weaved in her soft hair and he moved his mouth with fear as if it was the last time he would ever kiss her again. Ana returned the passion as her hands moved up the muscles of his back and her tongue nudged his lips. Where this heated makeout session would take them, he did not care. All he cared about was to be with her, here and now. And so, he lost himself in her.

The beep of the elevator chimed loudly and announced their arrival back to the floor where reality waited. Christian squeezed Ana's hand in his and he hesitated to step out on to the tile pathway. This was it. This was where they would go their separate ways and suddenly he wanted to run. He wanted to take her with him and just hide away from the truth. He wanted to live their lives happily ever after in a comatose state, but how ideal could that really be?

With his back pressed up against the cold wall of the elevator, Ana tugged on his arm and forced him to exit. The moment he turned and saw the heavenly glow of their corresponding hospital rooms he felt sick to his stomach. Every muscle and bone in his body turned to liquid. He couldn't walk. He couldn't do this. He didn't want to lose her.

"Christian, come on." Ana urged him. Her hand pressed against the lower part of his back and he somehow put one foot in front of the other. He wanted her hand on his back to stay there forever. He never wanted her to let go.

As they reached their final destination, Ana looked into her hospital room and he mirrored her action. Only the feet of his immobile body could be seen and more than ever he wanted to bolt. His body physically trembled. The palm of his hands grew clamy and his mouth went dry. _Fuck this! _He internally screamed and his head snapped to his left to look at Ana. She was crying again.

"So, this is it." Her voice wavered with emotion.

"You know we don't have to do this." He pleaded with her one final time. He would do anything to make her stay.

Ana let go of his hand. Already he felt like he was a thousand miles away from her.

"Yes, we do." She replied and stepped closer toward the threshold of her room.

"Ana," he whispered her name and closed his eyes.

"Please, Christian."

The regret and sadness in her voice made him want to crumble into a million little pieces. This was the hardest thing he had ever done, to walk away from the thing he loved the most.

"I hope you get everything you want in life. I hope that you find someone who makes you happy and loves you like I do, because you deserve it. You deserve everything good in life." His words flowed out of him like a raging river. "I know I'm just repeating myself, but I just want you to know that."

"I do." Ana tilted her head back and blinked back the tears. "Damn it."

Her body lunged from his and she kissed him deeply. This was really it. This was last time he would kiss her and he didn't even know if he would remember it. He didn't even know if he would remember her and vice versa. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to fuck her senseless up against the wall. He wanted to run his hands up and down her body and seer it into his memory. He wanted her. He needed her. Didn't she see that?

"I will _never _forget you." Christian stated against her lips.

"I wish I could believe that." She pressed her forehead to his chest.

"I don't give a fuck what happens. I will find my way back to you, Ana." He made his empty promise.

"Goodbye, Christian." Ana's voice cracked and she turned away from him fast. He knew she had to break the connection, he just wished it didn't have to be so painful.

Her body slowly entered the room hunched over and she paused with her stare directed toward her feet. To see her like this, his heart literally broke. As much as he wanted her all to himself, he wanted to her to have a second chance at life. He had to sacrifice his love for her to let her have the life she deserved.

"I love you." Christian said one final time

Ana smiled for a brief second. "I know."

"Goodbye, Ana." He watched her close the door to her room. Instantly, he felt the distance magnify. His heart shriveled and he shuffled his way into his hospital room, too.

Numb to the world around him, he stared at the beat and battered version of himself. Miserable and shattered, his mirrored image appeared as he currently felt. He never imagined it ending like this. What had he done to put himself in such a fucked up situation? The answered lied on the other side and all he had to do was reconnect his body and soul for him to find out, but he couldn't do it, not yet. He needed to hold on to the memory of her just a little bit longer, and without a second thought, he found himself across the hall and charging into Ana's room. He wasn't ready to let go. He needed to see her, touch her, kiss her one more time. But as he entered the room, depression set in. The machines, the beeping, the wires, and her were all gone. It had all evaporated and without a trace. Ana had left him and he was offically alone stuck inside his head.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 14 - Ana

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

"Have you decided what sort of action you're going to take if he wakes up?"

"I'm going to charge the son of a bitch for putting my daughter here."

"Carla!"

"I'm sorry, Ray, but we need to. There needs to be justice for Ana."

A heated conversation between three very different, but distinct and familiar voices spoke in a hushed whisper somewhere nearby. What in God's name were they talking about? _Take action. Justice. Him._ She swore the conversation sounded more like the dialogue of a dramatized television show than the live action dispute that took place within earshot.

Just like an opening scene from a movie, things slowly began to fade into view. One by one her senses awoke and strengthened gradually. First, it was her sense of hearing. Next, was the excruciating pain she embraced with no warning of its severity. From head to toe, her body ached and cried with discomfort. Her temples throbbed. Her muscles weakened. Her limbs were stiff and jello like. Why did she feel like this? What could have possibly made her feel so helpless? Something wasn't right and she swallowed a giant breath of anxiety.

Her vision wavered to be activated as she felt trapped in the nightmare that had dragged her down. The sleep she had endured had run its course and she was ready to spring back to life, but life as she knew it had taken a drastic turn for the worse. With the way her body and mind felt, she knew something was terribly wrong.

"Don't you think being in a coma is justice enough?"

"He wouldn't be in a coma and neither would she if he hadn't been such an idiot in the first place!"

The voices argued the pronoun of a male identity she could not conclude, but _he _was the least of her worries. The startling conclusion of the two-syllable word that had been dropped twice shriveled her like a prune. Her heart splattered inside her chest and the subtle beep that filled the silence accelerated to an obnoxious rhythm.

"Ana?"

A sudden rush of panic swarmed over and around her. The urgent words, "Kate, go get a nurse," were shouted not with caution, but with worry. Seconds later, the shuffling of feet from across the room moved toward her at rapid succession. New voices requested for movement to be made while terminology only one of with experience in the medical field would know was read off after the review of vitals and careful precision to detail.

"Her heart rate is up."

"...a shock to her nerve system."

"We need to sedate her."

"What?!" A voice from a distance shouted. "No! She's been sedated enough."

"Get her out of here!"

_Get me out of here! _She had to agree with her protester. It had felt like a lifetime of sedation since she last broke consciousness. Below sea level, she swayed in the dark waters of the unknown for God knows how long. It was time to swim again. She was ready to tread harder than ever to break the surface and come up for air, but the forces above would not let her, not yet. Why were they working against her?

As she pushed against the current, more medical terminology was thrown casually as the faceless group struggled to calm the storm that raged inside her. Waves crashed violently and she slowly realized her body and soul was drifting back out to sea.

"Ana, we know your fighting this, but you have to stay strong." The soft voice cradled and soothed her panicked heart. "I know you can hear us in there. We are all rooting for you."

The many disembodied voices were all the same. Each with their own concern. Their messages were heard loud and clear, but none of it mattered because the communication was a one-way street. These people could say or do whatever they wanted to her and she had no way of responding back. It was like someone had stripped her of her vocal chords. Her limbs had been tied down and her muscles weakened. The strength she searched and prayed for was buried somewhere. It was hidden and she had to find it again before she could awake. Where the hell was it?

Warmth tingled in her veins. The sedation was working. She had no idea how far she would regress back into the recesses of her mind, but this time it would only be temporary. A part of her feared of the blackout that was to come. She had just broke free from it and now she was headed straight back without a say. Maybe that was where she could collect the missing pieces. She could fit them back together in order to give her the strength to return again. It was her only hope.

Ana did not know how long she was out for, but deja vu struck a chord as faint noises and steady breathing caught her attention. Her body carefully floated back up to the surface and this time she was prepared for it. This time she would let the tide bring her in. Unlike before, her muscle movement had followed her up from below. The aches and pains came along with it, too. It hurt. It hurt like hell, but she kept on pushing. She was so close. She could feel it.

Her rebirth had begun.

One by one the pads of her fingers scratched the smooth fabric beneath them. Her toes squished together, a feeling she did not know could be so wonderful to feel after all this time. Each swallow she took she felt her throat constrict and her jaw move slightly from left to right. Her eyes danced behind her lids shielding the light on the other side of them. Light she had longed to see. Light that would bring her home finally. Her mouth gaped open the tiniest bit and she sucked in a sharp breath.

"Ana, sweetie. Can you hear me?"

She knew that voice. The voice of someone who had coached her through every step of the way in life and in her sleep state. Ana struggled to reach out her hand to her to let her know that she could hear her, but something prevented her from doing so. It was wrapped up and strategically placed in a hold that she could barely move from. What the hell?

"Ray, Ray. I think she's waking up."

Two large steps were taken in her direction and she felt the cool sensation of a hand on her shoulder. She knew that touch. The touch that belonged to someone who looked after her and cared for her unconditionally. Someone who like the voice who spoke to her only seconds before had been there all her life. It dawned on her who these people were and a sense of comfort wrapped around her like a blanket. How long had it been since she last saw them, her parents? It pained her to think.

"Ana. Ana." Her mother's frantic plea filled her ears.

She imagined their grief-stricken faces that looked down upon her. Still unaware of what happened, she knew it shook her family like a reckless earthquake. The gasps and sobs from her mother were enough to know that facing them for the first time in what seemed like forever would not be easy. She had to be brave though for them. She had to keep pushing up to the surface.

The hand on her shoulder belonged to her father as he squeezed lightly and bent down as his weight shifted. "Fight, baby." She swore she heard him whisper. This was going to be harder than she thought.

Listening to her father's encouragement, she focused her strength on regaining her vision. Her eyelashes fluttered and she tensed her face as she tried to pry them open. It was like they had been glued shut. Then peeling the dried up glue away, she let the light pour in. Bright and harsh, she closed her eyes as it made her head hurt. Another gasp from her right told her mother had noticed her movement and she felt a sigh of relief to her left. She could do this. She had to. She was done with being stuck in the dark. Her lips quivered as she tried to form a word, two to be exact.

"Mmmmmom. Ddddad." Her throat was dry as were her lips which made her attempt to speak very difficult.

"Ana. Yes, Ana, we're here." Her mother brushed her hair with her longer well-manicured fingers.

With a slight pep talk, Ana managed to open her eyes again and this time she kept them open. Things were blurry. Outlines of her mom and dad were all she could make out. Her mother's face was close to hers while her father disconnected and noted he was going to get a doctor. She wanted to plead with him to stay, but he was up and out of the room in a flash.

"Oh sweetie," she heard the crack in her voice and the whimper her mother made. "I thought the worst was going to happen. You have no idea how happy I am to see you awake."

A thousand questions racked her brain as her mother came into focus and she saw her mascara smudge underneath her eyes. But instead of asking what she wanted to know, Ana remarked in a scratchy voice, "Mom don't cry. You're ruining your makeup." Instantly, her hands wiped away the tears and only made matters worse as a line of mascara stained her cheek.

"I don't care." She smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "My baby is alive and awake. That's all that matters right now."

"Mom," Ana whispered. What she wanted to know the most was on the tip of her tongue. Her tongue darted out of her mouth to try and wet her lips to make it easier to speak but was denied the chance as her father reentered the room with a man dressed in all white.

Carefully, her father moved around the bed she laid in next to her mother's side. The soft touch her mother caressed retracted as the doctor set down his chart and began his examination of her current state. He referred to the machine she was hooked up to as her vital lines carried a steady rhythm, one she recognized as a good sign. His procedure was routine as she had been in his shoes many times before with patients of her own. He checked for the good, the bad, and the ugly. His expression gave nothing away. The dark had followed her up to the surface. She was blank with knowledge of what put her here and she wanted to know why.

"Looks like you just couldn't stay away." The man in white remarked with a hint of humor.

Ana looked to him then her parents. It rendered in their faces she didn't understand what he meant by it.

"Ana," the doctor sighed. Oh no, she knew that tone. The tone that indicated bad news. "You were in a very bad car accident. When the paramedics arrived at the scene, you were unconscious. You had lost a lot of blood, too. They brought you back here to the hospital, where you work I was told afterward. We had to act fast. You sustained substantial injuries to your head and with the amount of swelling that took place we had to put you into a medically induced coma."

"Standard procedure." She mumbled.

At any the sign of swelling to the brain, medical attention was absolutely necessary. Depending on the severity of the case and person, sometimes placing the patient into a coma was the safest bet. Nothing was guaranteed, though. Some survived it while others didn't. Apparently, she had been one of the lucky ones.

"You were a fighter, though. A few days ago we stopped the sedation to see if you would wake and here you are now." He smiled. Lines on his cheeks and forehead creased. "Looks like we made a good call of judgment."

Ana felt the return of her mother's hand as she touched her arm. The doctor flipped his chart open as he paused to review something. He looked oddly familiar like she had seen him before. Where had she seen him? Immediately, she felt stupid for even wondering such a thing. Of course, she had probably seen him before. He was a doctor who worked in the same hospital as she. More than likely, she had seen him doing his rounds or in the elevator. With how fast paced the medical field could get some days, it was easy to see five or six different doctors all dressed in their white lab coats. Their images smashed together. He was just another familiar face.

"When can she go home?" Her father asked.

"We are definitely keeping her overnight and we will see from there." The doctor shook his head. "You're going to make a full recovery, Ana, but it's going to take some time. You fractured your ribs and your arm in the accident. Both should heal up just fine. The bruises will fade too. It's just your head that I'm worried about. You hit it pretty hard. Suffered a cut toward the front just there." He pointed toward it.

Unable to lift her good arm, she wrinkled her forehead and felt the slight sting of where the cut was made. Her eyes scanned down her body as she noticed her right arm was in a sling and the rest of her covered in black and blue bruises with tiny bandages here and there. She looked worse than she felt, but she still felt like shit.

"I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes, but I need to make my rounds." He notified her. "Is there anything you need that I can tell one of the nurses to get you?"

"Um, water and someone to help me up to pee." She uttered.

"You're not getting up and going anywhere, at least not yet." The doctor shook his head. "You're too weak and we can't have you falling and hitting your head again. We've placed a catheter in you to help with your need to use the bathroom."

"Oh, right." It registered with her that she would have one considering her situation. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed and squirmed in her hospital bed. Somehow the accident had knocked her memory around a bit.

Bringing the chart close to his chest, the doctor confirmed he would send a nurse in with a glass of water and he turned on his heel and left. He promised to be back in a few minutes, but the likelihood of that was slim. This was hospital after all. People flooded in and out of here like a revolving door. Her father followed him close behind and shut the door to her room leaving only a tiny crack of it open. Clearly, he wanted her to have some privacy.

Underneath both of her parents' eyes were dark circles that hollowed out their appearance. They were tired, defeated at most and she knew it had been the countless hours of worrying that had caused it. All she wanted to do was hug them and let them know that she was okay. That she was awake and alive, thankfully.

"I'm scared to ask how long I've been out." Her voice quivered.

"Two weeks, honey. " Her father took a seat at the end of her bed.

_Two weeks! _She had been unconscious for two whole weeks. The tears she held back rushed forward and spilled out like tiny waterfalls. Her body shook as she quietly sobbed and heard her mother cry with her. Her father, on the other hand, stayed strong. He always did. After serving in the military for many years, he was a man of pride, strength, and rarely let down his armor. However, she could see the subtle tears pooling in his eyes and she gave him a look that said it was okay to let it go. Instead, he patted the mattress of the bed and gazed off out the window of the room.

"Oh, Ana. Please don't ever scare us like that again." Her mother begged and wept. "I just knew you moving to the city wasn't a good idea."

"Carla, that has nothing to do with this." The voice of reason her father seamlessly carried spoke loudly as he continued to look out the window.

"If she was still back home, none of this would have happened."

Her father sighed. "Accidents happen every day. It's not just in the city."

"But the risk is higher here." She argued. "Sweetie, I think once you're all better you should move back to the suburbs with us."

"What? No." Ana stammered. Move back in with her parents? It was typical for her mother to overreact. "Mom like Dad said, this could have happened anywhere. I guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"No, it's that son of a bitch who hit you." She never heard her mother curse like she did. The vulgarity in her tone was new.

"Carla! Stop it."

"I'm not going anywhere." Her tone was sharp. "And please, enough with the hysterics. It's making my head hurt."

"I'm sorry, sweetie." The gentle hand of her mother rubbed her shoulder. The volume of her voice lowered. "It's just...I worried about you moving here. This place is so big. I didn't want anything bad to happen to you and look how that turned out."

Clearly, her mother was blindsided by the capacity of the city and all the evils that lurked in it. She acted like it was the only place on earth that wasn't safe, when in reality no place could ever be. It was the situation that had her worked up and packing her bags for her. She had been the only person who hadn't been keen to the idea of her moving here and now she had every reason to believe she was right. Her gaze shifted to her father, who bowed his head. The way his shoulders fell told her he had enough of her mother's shenanigans.

"Ana, I think what your mother is trying to say is that we were both sad to see you leave. But you're an adult now and sometimes we have to remind ourselves that we are not always going to be there to protect you and it's scary." Calm, rational, her father never seemed to let his emotions get the best of him like her mother's did. "We are just a little shaken by this is all, but to see you awake makes it all better."

She couldn't help but smile at her father as the tears continued to flow. A part of her liked to think she learned her strength from him. Always reserved and assessing the situation before he reacted, she found herself doing the same. While she loved her mother and her quirks, her obsessive need to react without thinking was annoying. She jumped to conclusions frequently and acted out love, but sometimes it was overbearing.

"I don't remember." She stated. She thought long and hard about the so-called accident that put her here. "I don't remember it happening."

"What do you remember?" Her father asked.

"Um, I remember leaving work. I was driving home and then it just sort of goes blank." Ana sighed. "Why I can't remember?"

"Because you hit your head pretty hard, honey." His hand covered her ankle. "I don't expect you to remember it. Christ, it might be a good thing that you don't remember what happened to you."

The last image she recalled was being behind the wheel of her car. Then it went black and it stayed that way for apparently two weeks. Where had her mind gone during that time? She knew she probably needed to catch up on her sleep, but she never expected to be out like that for so long. It terrified her to know that she had no control, no thoughts, no sense of what was going on. Two weeks. She had known patients who went that long and never came back, so why did she? What caused her to fight her way back?

"So someone hit me then." She tried to piece the accident together. Images of her body being thrown around danced in her head.

"Yes!" Her mother spat. "Some drunk, rich idiot hit you. I wish the bastard would have died."

"Carla, that's enough! You don't mean that and you know it." Her father left the bed and paced the length of the room.

"Is he still alive? The guy who hit me?" Ana inquired.

This time her father took the reigns on explaining what happened. Her mother shot him an annoyed look. "He's in the room over. They had to place him a coma, too." He placed his hands on his hips and stopped. Each hospital room had a makeshift window that peered out into the hallway. Barely, she could see the room across from her where he flickered his stare. "He was going 50 miles per hour when he hit you. He hit the tail end of your car, but for how fast he was going he sent your car spiraling out of control and into a lamp post that impacted the driver's side. His car flipped over."

"And he was drunk? Driving?" She couldn't believe it.

"Yes. The irresponsible prick apparently was coming home from a late night at one of the bars." The hint of disgust toward the man was now in his voice. "And he had the nerve to drive home. What a fucking idiot."

If she could cover her mouth, she would. Learning what she knew now was horrible and to think she lived through it.

"Is he awake?" She asked.

"No." Her father shook his head.

As far as she could, she pushed herself into the mattress and pillow below her. Anger swelled in her chest and she bit down on her dry lip. Where was the damn nurse with her water?

Now she understood her mother's upset and her father's disgust. This could have all been avoided. It had been his choice, the man who hit her, to get behind the wheel of his car and drive after being highly intoxicated. If only he would have wised up and taken a cab home instead. Then none of this would have ever happened. How could someone do this to her? How could someone be so stupid? Her mother was right. She had every right to be mad because she was too. She hated him the man who put her here.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - Ana

Helpless. Her current existence felt utterly and completely helpless.

It had been five days since she awoke from her sedated sleep and each day she faced a new struggle, a new annoyance. She had seen in studies and on occasion experienced first hand during her clinical days the aftermath of what a medically induced coma could do to someone. One would think after all that time of resting the metaphorical battery that kept them running would be recharged. Life would pick back up from where it had left off, but that simply was not the case. It was a long and tiresome process from the moment you woke up. Constant surveillance by a team of medical staff. Extensive therapy took place that was both physical and mental. It was a never-ending battle to find that person you once were only to be disappointed that you would never fully find them again. Being on the brink of death changes you. It does things to you that opens your eyes and closes your heart in ways you never thought it could. She was no exception.

Ana half wished she would have been a miracle case. To rise up and walk away without any strings attached. If only she had been so lucky. Instead, she found herself plastered to her hospital bed day in and day out. No more than two visitors in her room at a time and with her head still throbbing at most hours of the day, there was not much she could do. Television was out of the question as it required her to focus and rapid movement of images messed with her head. A book would have been nice, but after only a paragraph she found herself exhausted. Music was too loud. Eating hurt. Writing required muscles that didn't know how to function properly yet. Even talking was sometimes a challenge as words escaped her and she lost her train of thought more often than she would have liked. It sucked. All of it sucked. So desperately she wanted to feel her independence again. She wanted to be able to do all the things a normal, healthy individual could do without the frustration or the assistance. But it was going to take time. That's what the doctor kept telling her over and over again. She swore the next time he mentioned it, she would find the strength to lift her arm and slap him across the face. She got it. These things take time, but it didn't mean she was happy about it.

For so long, she witnessed how someone in her shoes dealt with the situation. She could have never imagined then what it would be like to trade places. She never wanted to know. She hadn't asked for this.

The man, who had been her catalyst to her situation stilled remained transfixed in his sleep state. From what she knew now, it shook her to know how someone's irresponsible actions could be so damaging. Every time she let the thought of him seep into her mind it brought a wave emotions she hated. She would become a freaking bag of party mix complete with every emotion under the sun. Sometimes she became sad while other times she became downright annoyed. Then it would turn into pure hatred followed by empathy because she knew just across the hall he was paying the ultimate price for what he had done.

Ana wondered at times what she would say to him when or if he awoke. Would she shout at him? Would she curse him to his death bed? Right now, it felt like the only option, but when she wasn't blinded with rage a part of her knew she wouldn't be so cruel. The mean bone in her body was tiny and most likely fractured. As much as what he did was wrong, she could not turn back time and change what happened now. What was done was done. She would have to move forward and keep fighting the good fight until she was back on her own two feet again.

"Hey, stranger." The friendly and bubbly voice of Kate entered the room. One o'clock on the dot.

Every day she arrived at the same time and greeted her with the same optimistic expression. She held out hope for her recovery more than anyone, even her parents, but she knew buried somewhere in Kate's soul was a shattered heart. She didn't know it, but she heard her weep one day to her as she pretended to be asleep. It wasn't hard to give off the illusion that she was resting most of the time since most of her body didn't move without a little help from others. She shed her tears hard and somehow remained somewhat reserved. It broke her own heart to know how much Kate was upset by what happened. It seemed she was not the only one affected by the matter. The people she loved were along for the journey as well.

Behind Kate, a nurse followed as she rolled a wheelchair in with her. The knowing smirk on her friend's face informed her today was going to be different. "Are you ready to get out this stuffy room?" She asked.

"You had me at a stuffy room." Ana remarked.

"The doctor said that you were doing well enough to transfer you to a wheelchair and get you slightly up and moving." What she meant was to be catered to at the hands of whoever was presented with wheelchair pushing duty. Ana couldn't complain. While she wanted to walk on her own two feet, that step in her process was not going to happen just yet. Her limbs were too weak still and her strength was not up to par.

"Do you think you can manage this, Ana?" Kate asked.

"Yes, I think so." She replied.

The nurse approached her bed as she shifted the wires and tubes around that were attached to her portable monitor and IV bag. "We are going to slowly lift you up and you will probably feel a little funny, lightheaded most likely." She warned her.

She was fully aware of what side effects could take place. After all, she was a nurse. The constant need to remind her and treat her like a childlike was what annoyed her the most. Frustration blossomed at any chance it could get and that was often. _They are just doing their jobs. Remember? _She huffed and let it slide. The memory served her of how patients she tended to could be unruly at times. She did not want to stoop to their level.

Once she was cleared for liftoff, Ana prepared herself. This would be the first grand gesture of movement for her since her accident. Would she even know how to move her muscles in the way she was supposed to? Fear flooded her mind. What if she forgot how to? What if she would be stuck plastered to a hospital bed or wheelchair for the rest of her life?

"Ana. Ana." The sound of the nurse's concerned voice brought her back down from her troublesome thoughts. "You ready?"

With a simple nod of her head, half of her hospital bed raised into a perfect ninety-degree angle. The blanket that covered her from the waist down was stripped away and two pairs of hands began to guide her body to turn to her left. Immediately, her breathing sped up and grew slightly unsteady. Ana closed her eyes and hoped for the best in her short adventure that was only a mere foot away.

_You can do this._

The process was slow and drawn out. What normally took her not even ten seconds took her minutes with occasional pauses. The pain she expected lingered but never overwhelmed her to the point that she wanted to stop her attempts altogether. If anything, it left her exhausted and slumped in the chair. It felt strange to be sitting upright and not attached to a bed. Oddly, her body had grown fond of the bed making its impressions into the mattress. It ached to be cushioned again.

"How are you feeling?" The nurse asked bending down to her eye level.

"Okay, I think." She replied with her head bowed. "Just give me a second before we start moving."

The device on the nurse's hip beeped and she checked it. She rose up and proceeded to say, "I have to attend to another patient. You can hook her portable IV and monitor to the chair so you won't have to push both. Just move slowly and stick to this hallway. I'm sure today's journey will be very quick and short."

"Okay," Kate said confidently. If there was anyone who was going to be suited for this role the first time around, it would be Kate. Her life was in her hands now.

"If you need me, hit this little button here or flag down another nurse." She advised. "And when it's time to get Ana back into bed, I'll help you."

The rubber on the soles of her tennis shoes squeaked as she hurried out of the room. The weight of Kate's hands on the back of the chair made her shift and she found the strength to raise her head so she was no longer looking at the ground.

"Sir yes sir." Kate teased. Unable to see her, she imagined her saluting the nurse as she walked away.

"Let's do this." Her tone rendered confidence, but deep down she was terrified. Each step she made toward her recovery was scary and each day she was haunted with the memory of what and who put her here.

As her world began to move a small fraction at a time, it felt like she spinning in slow motion toward the doorway. The need to take it slow was executed with literal meaning on Kate's part and Ana chuckled. "Ana, if this is too much, I can call the nurse."

"I'm not crying. I'm laughing." Ana welcomed the old sensation of her lungs expanding as she found humor at the moment. "You don't have to move that slow. Just be steady and take small steps." On cue, Kate carefully maneuvered the wheelchair around with grace and made her feel less like a tortoise. "Thanks for doing this Kate."

"Ana, you know I would do anything for you." She touched her shoulder and then paused in the doorway. "Besides, you could have had Jose pushing you around, but I told him that he wasn't equipped to handle such a difficult task."

Sarcasm. It was there and she laughed again.

"Jose was here?" She asked curiously.

"He stopped by hoping to see you today while you were awake for once," Kate explained. "He's been by a few times but none that you would remember. You've been asleep each time that he has. I think he's scared to face you after _the incident_."

The incident? It took a while but she recalled what Kate had been referring to. Right before all of this happened Jose had kissed her which was very much not a mutual acceptance. It made her brain hurt just to think about it. Sooner or later, she would have to address it with him. Maybe today he had hoped to apologize and get it over with, but not with Kate around. Swooping down to her rescue, she was grateful it was her pushing her around and not him. She had already forgiven him long before she had come to the conclusion. It was just a matter of setting the boundaries and knowing that it could never happen again.

Inhaling a deep breath, she motioned for Kate with the slightest wave of her hand to continue out into the hallway. After being in her room for so long, she had forgotten what it felt like to see strangers, take in the normal activities of the day that she once knew and worked, and to just be exposed to reality. It was another adjustment she would have to get used to again.

As Kate went to turn her, she scanned the room across from hers. It was quiet and dark. The end of a bed stuck out just enough for her to see that it was occupied still and she urged for her to stop.

"Are you not feeling okay?" Kate inquired.

"No." She lied. "I'm fine."

Honestly, she felt sick to her stomach, but she couldn't think about that now. All she could think about was coming face to face for the first time with the man who had put her here. The room appeared to be empty and if she wanted to get a good look at him now was the time to do it.

"Push me in there," Ana ordered.

"In there?" The surprise in her voice was apparent. "Ana, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Just do it, Kate."

She expected more resistance on her end, but it never came. Maybe it was due to her circumstances or maybe Kate simply felt sorry for her. Either way, not a single word was protested and swiftly she was pushed into the room. This was breaking the conduct of hospital rules. Only family and verified friends were allowed to visit patients. Seeing as she was neither, she knew if someone found her in here there would be slight hell to pay. None of that mattered, though.

Once inside the cramped room that looked almost identical to hers, she motioned Kate for her to stop her at the end of the bed. She didn't need to get any closer. She could see him perfectly fine from where she was. Beaten, battered, bruised, and broken. A ping of guilt stung her as she soaked in the appearance of a badly injured man. Had she looked like this when she arrived? All the tubes, wires, and bandages were doubled compared to what she had. The only exposed parts of him were bits of skin on his arm that weren't covered and his face.

"His name is Christian," Kate whispered.

"Oh," Ana replied. How was she supposed to respond to that? And how in the world did Kate know that?

More than likely, while she slept peacefully in her coma her family and Kate had battled with the news and information from the accident. His name had probably been shared knowledge to them, so they could curse him under their breaths. But she did not care what his name was or what he did or anything for that matter. All she cared about was knowing that there was a physical reason for why she ended up here in the first place.

"He's a businessman. Works up on Michigan Avenue. He's loaded and gorgeous." Kate rambled. If she could turn and give her a look that said, not helping, she would right about now. "I did some digging."

"I see that."

Just more information she did not want to retain. She didn't want to humanize him. She wanted him to remain as the man who hit and nearly killed her.

"Have your parents talked to you yet?" Kate asked changing the subject.

"About what?"

"What the hell? Who let you in here?" A shrill voice came from the threshold of the hospital room and the overhead fluorescent light turned on. Tall, abnormally thin, and dressed immaculately well in tight jeans and a tight shirt that accentuated her chest was a short blonde haired woman. Ana turned her head just enough to see her and she knew she had overstayed her welcome.

"We were just going." Kate chimed.

"Do you not have any common courtesy?" The woman shouted. She probably deserved to be scorned at for intruding on someone else's space, but to be yelled at? The throb in her head that continuously lingered formed just above her eyes once more. "Get out before I call security!"

As she bowed her head and Kate swiveled her chair toward the door, she heard, "Wait."

Only peering through the slits of her eyes, she saw the blonde woman examine her. Even as she furrowed her eyebrows not a single wrinkle or crease could be found upon her flawless and Botoxed face. It was obvious she had been making her attempts to turn back the clock with her youth under the syringe and knife of a doctor.

"Oh, it's you." The distaste in her statement left a sour one in hers. "The doctor mentioned that you had woken up. Glad to see you're doing better."

Not an ounce of sincerity could be found in what she said. She wondered if she even had a genuine bone in her body. Who was this atrocious woman? And where did she have the nerve to talk to her like that? As if she were just another worthless being in her presence. The woman was lucky that she lacked basic motor skills at the moment otherwise she would have given her the finger.

"I need to get Ana back to her room," Kate announced. "Sorry for the intrusion. Her wheelchair sort of just slipped and rolled in here by accident. You know how those go. _We _didn't mean any harm by it."

Boy was she grateful for Kate being her right-hand man today. Her words on the surface were just words, but underneath was a layer of bitter hatred toward the woman. Ana wished she could hug her right now. She noticed her statement affected the woman as she stood straight, turned her chin up high, and licked her glossed lips.

"I was actually hoping to have a little chat with Anastasia." Her tone turned light.

"Well, you'll have to save it for another time. She's not feeling too well and I need to get her back to her room, so if you would excuse us." She grabbed hold of her chair and pushed straight past the woman. As much as she had no desire to speak with her right now, she was curious. What exactly did she need to speak with her about? And who the hell was she?

The door to Christian's room slammed shut behind them as Kate quickly wheeled her back into her room and shut the door behind them as well. _Christian. Christian. _She recited his name repeatedly in her head. Not a common name she had heard before, but it had a nice sound to it. Too bad it belonged to a man she hated.

"That woman is such a... " Kate fumed.

"Bitch." She finished for her. "Who is she anyways? His mother?"

The obnoxious laugh that sprung to life from Kate made her smile. She loved her laugh. She loved hearing it bounce off the white walls of the room. She was tired of all the hushed whispers and depressing discussions that her laughter was refreshing.

"She looks like she could be, doesn't she?" Her long blonde hair swayed on her shoulders as she nodded her head and took a seat on her bed. "That woman is his fiance."

Fiance?!

"Her name is Elena Lincoln. She's the daughter of an elite CEO or something like that." Kate gave her a mini lesson on the brash woman they had just encountered. "I think my Dad knows him, but my Dad knows everyone who is anyone. Anyways, Christian works for her father and looks like he's climbing his way to the top by marrying the boss's daughter."

Boss's daughter. Elite. Christian. It was all too much for her to comprehend. The only thing that did stick was the fact that she was his fiance. Why that mattered she couldn't say.

"I'm all for climbing the ladder toward success, but her? Gag me." She stuck out her tongue. "He could do better."

"This is the man who hit me remember?" Ana added.

"Sorry, yes." Immediate regret washed over her face and she sighed, "Ana, look I know your parents wanted to be the ones to bring this up, but maybe I should. Maybe hearing it from me might ease you into the idea or not."

Wherever this conversation was headed it had taken a turn for the dull and dreary. Her parents had been nothing but supportive and caring, but she saw the tension that stretched between them. She took notice to how the topic of her accident brought up harsh tones and difference in opinions between he mother and father. They didn't have the perfect relationship, but they made it work. This was just not the time or place for this conversation to happen, though. She had enough on her plate to think about, to focus on. The urge to snap at Kate all of sudden struck a chord in her, but she resisted. She didn't deserve that. She was just trying to help. If she meant what she said, she knew she was about to ease her into the idea of her parent's possible separation.

"Uh," Kate hummed and smoothed her hands out on her jeans. "They want you to press charges against him. "

And like that, her world came to a screeching halt again.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 - Christian

_"Christian. Christian."_

_He moaned at the sound of his name passing her pink lips. That beautiful mouth he longed to kiss, lick, and nip. It could be the only thing she ever said for the rest of his life and he would be happy because it was his name and her mouth that said it._

_"Ana, I love you." He whispered and she smiled. A tiny flutter of joy danced inside him knowing he did that. He could make her smile. He loved that, and he loved her._

_"Christian." Her voice rose an octave higher as she sang his name in the most delightful way._

_Placing her chin to rest in the palm of her hand, she smiled again. What wouldn't he give to snapshot this moment? With her head just cocked to the side slightly, she stared at him with admiration as her cheeks flushed a pale red. Secretly, he wondered what thoughts ran through that beautiful mind of hers. She was so careful to guard it. Then as if his wish had been granted by some unforeseen force, everything changed. Her mood, stance, and the atmosphere altered. The muscles that worked effortlessly to convey her bliss distorted into sadness and pain._

_"What's wrong?" Horror cursed his soul._

_"You did this." Ana bowed her head. "You did this."_

_What did he do? Her vague answer left him confused, and slightly worrisome. Was it something he had said? No. That could not possibly be it. All he could remember was, well, her smile and that he loved her. So, where in the mix of that had something gone horribly wrong to make her seem so damn resentful toward him? His attempt to ask for more clarity only resulted in the same response, _You did this. _The way her tone vibrated the phrase rattled his soul. The way her smile erased from her expression so quickly depressed him. How could he make it reappear? How could he salvage what he had done without a clue as to what he did?_

_The pressure formed around his head and clouded his mind. Without warning, he tumbled to the ground. What in the world was happening to him?_

_Ana glided across the floor to him. Her petite, thin frame towered over his weakened body and he shuddered at the sight above him. Her complexion had been compromised with a red substance while her hair looked as if it had been tossed around in a wind storm. When did this happen? Seconds ago she appeared flawless, and now she looked like a wreck._

_Her shoulders were hunched and tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. The innocence and compassion in her eyes faded. Fire only burned behind them now. "If you love me, why did you do this?" Her question disclosed so much pain with a broken voice. He did love her. He would never hurt her, not intentionally. Why would she say such a thing? Couldn't she see that he meant no harm. Couldn't she see he was helpless._

_Literally, he felt glued to the floor unable to move. Panic set in. Every limb and muscle in his body went paralyzed. His vocal chords had been constricted as he attempted to speak, but only mouthed the words. His nightmare was only getting worse by the minute._

_"Christian," his name caught his undivided attention. "Why did you do this?"_

_Fuck, if he knew the answer to that, he would tell her. He would shout it at the top of his lungs if he could, but nothing seemed to be in his favor. It was like luck had abandoned him and his brain lacked the ability to function. Someone had hollowed him out with a spoon and he wanted the missing pieces of him back. He needed those pieces to be returned to its rightful owner. It was the only way to know what he had done to upset her._

_"You know what you did." She flung her body violently forward and pressed him into the ground as her hair hung in front of her face. Once a beautiful girl, now she was lost behind the heartache."You've known it all along. You did this."_

Air swelled his lungs fast and abruptly. His body twitched and quaked with the lingering sensation of what his subconscious had just endured. Christian covered his face and he knew without opening his eyes that even in his dream-like state, he could not escape the nightmares. The nightmares that had begun a week ago when she left him. The nightmares that clouded his mind with the reality of what he had done.

"Shit." He mumbled to himself and ran his hand over his face. This was fucking torture.

It all began right here in the hospital bed where Ana once occupied. The moment he realized she had crossed over toward reality, he felt lost. Naturally, he gravitated toward the only place he felt somewhat close to her. He hesitated at first as his quivering hand hovered over her empty bed and after a few deep and thought out breaths, he laid down. Instantly, her presence lingered. She was long gone from her mental prison, but the memory of her remained intact in his.

Like a narcotic, he was addicted to the way he felt when he thought about her. It was pure insanity to think one person, one being out of the billions of people in this world could make him feel the way he did about her. The kind of feeling that captured your heart and held it tight. The feeling that could either propel or destroy you. As the old saying goes, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. That was complete bullshit. Utter, archaic bullshit.

He had loved and lost her. He had fought for her. He had prayed to the heavens to have had one last moment with her, but it had all been snatched away. Ana was gone, and maybe it was for the best.

_That was a fucking lie._

Christian sighed in exhaustion as he shifted and sat up swinging his legs over the side of her bed. The nightmare had permanently attached itself to him and no matter how hard he tried to shake it, it would not budge. He deserved it, though. He deserved every nasty bit of it. What he could not remember prior to this point had found its way back.

Completely diminished of any knowledge and memory upon arrival in his coma state, he had searched long and hard for it at first. His identity remained a mystery and to lose the sense of that had been truly devastating. But something changed. His quest to discover and remember had been short-lived. It no longer became the top priority. No, not as long as _she_ was around. _She_ was all he wanted to know. Screw his purpose of existence. _She_ was divine. _She_ was the forbidden apple. _She_ was a temptress in disguise and he gladly have into her because he was weak, lost, and confused.

As time ticked, despite the feeling of being stuck, his attraction and intrigue intensified for her. A part of him wondered if it was the idea of another human life accompanying him that brought this on so suddenly, but he knew that was not true. The wheels in his head clicked in sync with the rhythm of his heart. That simple match was enough to ignite the fire and soon he let it burn him up. He doused himself in her flames and he continued to do so because it was all he wanted to feel. What he felt without her only chewed him up and spit him right back out over and over again.

Christian shivered at the thought of when it all made sense.

The recollection of one particular moment since he passed through the threshold of the deepest layers of his mind still haunted him. From the second he awoke on that floor of the random apartment he carelessly stumbled into with Ana, he knew how fucked he was, as was her. Enlightened by a horrendous experience, he chose to ignore the truth. He didn't want to believe it was the case he had found himself in, but he also knew he could not run away from it forever. Funny how this life and the one that awaited him on the other side paralleled each other. Each to their own, he continued to run. At least here, he could explain his reason. The other side was a bit blurry. That was until about a week ago.

He sat in the chair that was adjacent to the unoccupied bed for hours as he pondered what to do. Each hour grew to be worse than the one before. Each hour had signified how long it had been since he last saw her. Grueling and heartbreaking, he strapped himself into the roller coaster of emotions he was met with. One after the other, the emotions came without warning. At times, he wept for her, for him, for what they had while the rest of the time he let his anger flow freely out him like a raging storm with no mercy. He kicked and swung his fist at whatever was in his way. He trashed the hospital room like he owned the place. Nothing was safe when all he saw was red. He became enraged with everything that reminded him of her. He hated this place without her. He hated that it took a fucking coma to meet her. But what he hated more than anything was the fact that he let himself fall for her as hard as he did. Along the way he had tripped and he never got back up even after she was gone.

"Damn it." Christian cursed and began to pace the length of the room. This vicious cycle he endured had driven him mad. Every day was the fucking same. Each filled with regret, loss, and self-pity.

His fist met the concrete wall and he placed his forehead on it to rest. Sure, she was the best damn distraction he had ever known, but she was so much more than that. Without her, he was just a ghost of a man.

_You did this. You know what you did._

This makeshift world had become his personal prison. The cell he inhabited may not have had four walls and barred windows, but it had its boundaries and quickly those boundary lines were closing in. Each day they inched closer and each day he carried more guilt and pain than he had the day before. He knew what he done to end up here. He trembled every time he thought about it.

The memories began to flood his mind the first night he slept in her hospital bed. The first night he had been without her. Obscure visions racked his brain with distant thoughts that at first he could not fully make out or understand. All the lines were blurred and the spoken words were mumbled. It was like he was dreaming underwater. When he woke up after that first night, the undefined images and messages stuck with him and he tried to smooth it out, but he had been unsuccessful. It wasn't until the next time he laid down in the bed and every time after that things finally became clearer.

The beginning of each dream turned nightmare started with low lights, loud music, and clanking glass bottles made for the most unusual setting. People shouted and the click of two pool balls being clashed together from behind him set his nerves on end. He drowned out his world around him as he sat hunched over at the end of a long sticky bar. This wasn't a place he ever imagined himself to set foot in, not now. His current status did not call for such a low life scene, and yet there he sat sipping on the finest whiskey the establishment had to offer. He lost count on what number he consumed, but it had been enough to ease the mind. It felt odd to feel such a way, drunk and content. He could not recall a time when he had felt like this. It had been years. His schedule, his chaotic reality just did not care for such an activity. Rebellion coursed through his veins.

Then a pair of cheaply manicured hands touched him and he spiraled back to the place that had encouraged such behavior. Many things had led him to this moment, his breaking point. He craved his freedom which had sparked the idea to sneak away for a night to the most unlikely place in the city where he would not be discovered. A place that could allow him to wallow in his pity part of one. It had worked up until now. The heavy weight on his shoulders returned and mixed with toxic liquids that tasted divine. He pushed the stranger away and stumbled his way out of the bar.

The starry night had lightened. Time had slipped through his fingers and now he faced the dawn of the morning. He had spent more time than he had liked inside that place and now he would pay for it.

An alibi was in order because no man of his status did things like this unless he had something to hid. Something to run from. His fingers curled into the palms of his hands as he marched in his drunken stupor down the street toward the parking garage. Fuck him for thinking that a few drinks would be his limit. He should have called upon his driver, but he was not in the right frame of mind when he originally acted upon his idea. A cab was out of the question. He did not need some random person on the street spilling his secret rendezvous. If word got out, he would have his name in all the papers and that was the last thing he needed to deal with at the moment. All he needed right now was to get home without leaving a trail behind him. Thankfully, his condo would be empty when he would arrive.

With his car keys in his hands, he heard the short beeps that signaled his car had unlocked and he slipped inside of it. Things were spinning and moving when they shouldn't have been. He was an idiot for doing this, but it was early enough that he could make it home without too many people getting his way. It was a straight shot from here. Six red lights and he would be homebound pulling into his private garage.

Out on the street, he tried his best to focus on the road, but it was difficult to make out which cars were actually moving and which were not. He saw the path of green lights ahead of him and he pushed his foot harder on the pedal. That's where he had pushed his luck.

His car raced down the four-lane street, past all the towering buildings and the earlier risers. He exceeded the speed limit, but he did not care. Six green lights turns into five, four than three. Then it happened. A car pulled out into the intersection as green changed to red. His reaction response was not quick enough and soon he watched as his life spin out of control. All it took was one swift hit to the head and his world faded around him.

Christian pounded the wall with his fist again as he tried to shake the memory away, but failed to do so. He hated that every time he fell asleep in her bed, he dreamt of that moment. It was like his subconscious wanted him to remember. After all this time, what he had searched for had been found and now he wanted nothing more than to forget it again.

"I'm sorry, Ana." He whispered.

As one nightmare came and went, the next arrived. This one always left him shattered.

It started out the same every time. With his previous dream erased from his mind briefly, he found himself in love with her as she smiled back, but it never lasted long. Her hostility quickly broke through and soon she shouted at him for doing something he could not remember. Once the nightmare ended, he awoke terrified piecing the two together. Every time he endured this two-part dream sequence, he felt worse. And every time he felt more deserving of his punishment.

The truth had finally revealed itself in full form. He no longer wondered what kind of man he had been because now he knew. When things got tough, he ran. He was a downright coward and how did that work for him? Like fucking shit. It was one thing to take himself down in his misery, but to take down another was uncalled for. And out of all the people in the world, it had to be her. Ana had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. If only he had been wise enough to not get behind the wheel of his car that morning, none of this would have happened. He would still be living his unsatisfied life while Ana would be living hers untouched.

A lump formed in his throat like it always did when he thought about what he had done. All the pain and suffering he had caused her. The bumps and bruises on her body were because of him. Her subconscious journey had been his doing. His messed up judgment united them in a way he never had hoped for, and yet there was no way to change that. What was done could not be reversed and now as Ana lived and breathed on the other side, he feared of coming face to face with her again.

No matter if their memories of this sleep state carried over, it would not change what he did to her. He had been the one to put her in that hospital bed. She had to have known that by now whether she knew who he was or not. It broke his heart to think of her filled with hate for him while he was only filled with regret and undying love for her. It was truly one fucked up situation.

Christian turned around and sighed as he stared at the empty bed. He cursed himself for going back there when he knew what it held. Somehow it had reconnected him with his memories or maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe all along he was bound to figure it out. Maybe if Ana had stayed a little longer they would have both remembered together. A part of him wished for that, but another was glad she hadn't been when it did. It was enough to be reminded in his dreams of how she reacted once she knew. He wasn't ready to see and feel that for real just yet.

So why did he continue to lay down in her bed and let himself slip into his nightmares over and over again? Because he was so damn desperate to see her. Even though it was not ideal, to be able to see her smile just for an instance was enough to keep him hanging on.

The subtle short beeps in the next room over caught his attention and he slowly made his way over. He needed to put some space between him and Ana's hospital room. The longer he stayed in there, the more it would destroy than it already had.

Inside his hospital room, he stared at the lifeless body in the bed as it waited to be reunited with his detached soul. If only it were that easy.

How had Ana made it look so effortless to cross back over? Her bravery and determination probably had a lot to do with it. She wanted to wake up from the moment she found out that she was asleep. Him, on the other hand, had too much conflict to resolve before he could, or was it something else?

For him, when she was here, waking up was never an option. As long as Ana was by his side, there was no point. But now, she was gone and he was all alone, and he hated every moment of it. It allowed too much time for him to think and beat himself up daily with what he knew now. And despite the guilt he dragged behind him, he was ready to be freed from the recesses of his mind. However, his mind wasn't ready for him to let go.

Three days ago, he had come terms with himself. His mind was made up and he prepared to make the journey home, but when his body and soul made contact nothing happened. His eyes that he had squeezed shut opened to see the everything had stayed the same.

Christian imagined what it would be like to wake up. He knew it wouldn't be pretty. He knew who waited for him on the other side and it wasn't going to be Ana. That was the harsh truth, but nevertheless, he still wanted it, so why couldn't he do it?

Repeatedly, he had grabbed his own hand to make the necessary connection to initiate the process, but each time he was only met with disappointment. What the fuck was going on? He was ready. He wanted to get this over with, but a barrier was in his way. Something would not allow him to cross over, so what was it?

The possibilities could have been anything. He debated for a long time the list of reasons why he wasn't allowed to resurface. Each held a strong enough defense as to why he was stuck and as more days passed, he felt even further away from ever waking up at all. And then it dawned on him.

Maybe it had always been the plan for him to never wake up. Maybe this was where he was meant to be. This was the ultimate punishment for what he did. The accident that he had caused was meant to put him here to suffer. And if being in a coma wasn't awful enough, to top it off he was meant to meet Ana, fall in love with her only to have her ripped away from him. How fucked up was that? It was the cruelest punishment to be faced with, but it seemed plausible all things considered. He had been stupid to think a night of drinking, which he rarely ever did could solve his problems. He had been a shitty person for driving while highly intoxicated. But what was the icing on the cake was he had been a fucking idiot to think that in the process of his lack of judgment, he would only take himself down if anything was to happen. No, that was wishful thinking.

What he had done had resulted in almost ending the life of another. He had to pay for his sins before judgment day would come and even then, he wasn't guaranteed to wake up.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - Ana

"Honey, I really think we should consider taking legal action."

Her mother's persistent plea was a never-ending cycle. Ana inhaled deeply and kept her focus on nothing in particular as she tried to ease her mind. She had stated clearly what she wanted, and yet her mother seemed to push the idea further that the man who hit her, Christian, deserved to be punished to a greater extent.

"I said no, Mom. I don't want to do it." She repeated herself like a broken record. "Please, just drop it."

"I'm not going to drop it, Ana. The man was reckless and nearly killed you. How on earth do you think that makes me feel?" Carla exclaimed. Her long fingers wrapped around her hand. Sadness and vengeance gathered in her mother's eyes.

"And how you think it makes me feel?!" Ana snapped. "I know what happened, but I'm here and as much as I don't like the man or the situation, I'm not about to put him through more hell than he has already been through."

"Ana..." Her mother tried to reason with her again.

"Stop. Please." She begged of her. "I'm not going to change my mind about this. I don't want to press charges. I just want to move on."

"But Ana..."

"I think you should leave." The words were out of her mouth before she could render the thought. Had she really just asked her own mother to leave? The answer was yes. The water had reached its boiling point and so had she. Her decision had been final, yet the idea was not mute, not by any means according to her mother. Screw her and her stubborn ways. Two could play this game. She was her mother's daughter after all.

The shock upon her face only showed briefly as she held a tight smile and leaned up to kiss her forehead. "I'm sorry, honey. I know you're tired." She rose from her seat. "I'll come back later with your father and we can talk about this more."

What the hell was there more to talk about? Her mother was not listening nor did it seem like she wanted to. There was no need to bring her father into this mess even if he wanted to voice his opinion on the matter. What Christian had done was horrible and downright irresponsible, but the man was in a coma for Christ's sake! Did no one else see judgment had been served?

Ana sucked in her bottom lip as she ignored her mother's obvious denial. She tried to rid the thought of him from her mind once more. She didn't want to think about him, but lately he was all she could think about. No thanks to her mother, he slithered his back. This really had to stop, but somehow he always found a way. She needed it to end and remain locked away in the walls of this hospital. She needed to move on. Why couldn't her mother understand that?

With a final squeeze of her hand, Carla respected her request. She would apologize to her mother later, but right now she needed her gone. The last thing she wanted was to say something she would regret.

As her mother left, her nurse entered. Her hospital room was like a revolving door with a constant flow of familiar faces. Usually, she enjoyed their company, but right now all she cared for was the chance for a few uninterrupted hours of peace and quiet to herself. Was that too much to ask? The nurse's scheduled check-ups she could not deny, but her family and friends, she could.

Ana squirmed in her bed as the assigned nurse greeted her and gave her a forced smile. She knew that look. The one that said, I'm here to do my job and while I do care about your well-being, I much rather be somewhere else look. She was no stranger to it. When she would no longer bed bound and under doctor's orders to rest, she too would be making her rounds in this very hospital tending to the sick and hurt even on days she wouldn't want to. She longed to get back on her own two feet and feel normal again.

After a few minutes of taking notes and checking vitals, the nurse nodded her head and left her room. Finally, she was alone. She soaked in the faint noises from beyond her closed door. She shut her eyes and let her thoughts bounce off the white walls of the rooms. It was pure serenity. A moment to herself to get lost in her thoughts, which was currently a dangerous place to be.

Her eyes opened wide as she felt her cheeks grow warm. Guilt and confusion provoked her emotions as she recalled a dream she had the night before. One she was not sure she liked, but one that made her question why she had it at all.

_Shadows were cast all around her as she stood in a dark foyer of an unknown place. Her heart fluttered with anticipation of something or someone. The adrenaline spiked her veins as tension was high. She had not liked the feeling of not knowing where she was or what was to come from it. Her body shook and she wrapped her arms around her as she tried to make sense of her bearings. She peered down and saw only the sheer material of a hospital nightgown covered her frame. Had she been released? Was she finally free from the title as a patient? The answer to that seemed to be yes._

_Her legs did not wobble. The subtle throbs of pain throughout her body had diminished while her strength felt stable. She dropped her arms to her side and slid them down the front of her white gown. She was free. The prisoner she had become to that hospital room did not have to reside there anymore. A smile erupted on her face and she took a step forward embracing the movement of her bones and the stretching of her muscles. A tear graced her cheek as she had never been more thankful to feel so alive again._

_As she dared to go deeper into the unknown place, a large window overlooking a million twinkling lights present itself to her. She paused as she took in the breathtaking view. She wanted a closer look. She wanted to see the city below her in all of its glory, but she was guided elsewhere as a beautiful, melodic tone drifted her across the room. _

_To the far right of the oversized room, a silhouette of a man played the piano effortlessly as his fingers moved across the black and white keys. __His shoulders swayed with the tempo. It was almost as if the music flowed through him as he poured his soul into each note. _

_Who was he? Did he know she was here? So many questions ran through her frantic mind as her feet guided her toward him. She wasn't entirely sure what drew her closer to him, but before she could prevent herself from taking another step, she was right beside him as he played on. _

_The man did not acknowledge her. He did not even falter in his musically influenced endeavor. His only focus was the musical instrument before him as he carefully executed each note with great precision._

_There was something so mesmerizing about watching him play. Maybe it was his natural born ability to master such a task or maybe it was the way his muscles flexed beneath the t-shirt he wore? Or possibly, it was both. Talent mixed with a haze of attraction. Yes, that was it._

_Ana rested her elbows on the piano top as she admired his talent and amongst other aspects that caught her wondering eye. She studied him long and hard. There was something familiar about him as if she knew him. While recognition was difficult to do as he kept his head bowed and hidden in the shadows, she swore he was not a stranger at all. _

_Once upon a time, she befriended this soul, this man. Or did she have it all wrong?_

_As he carried onward with his piece, he picked up the pace of the melody while he kept its underlying tone to echo all around them. Vibrations, high notes, low notes, she consumed it all. He didn't need to say anything. Not a single word needed to be uttered to tell her what messaged he tried to convey. The music did that for him. The more she listened, the more she knew that he was no stranger in the night. _

_Her chest heaved with anticipation. The palms of her hands perspired and her eyelids grew heavy. Anxiety swelled inside her like a balloon. The final notes faded one after the other and as the song came to an end, she knew silence would greet them and his face would be unmasked from the darkness._

_After being under the deep influence of reciting such an emotionally charged piece, he raised his head. Chin high, eyes forward, his lips slightly parted. She released a shaky breath at the sight of him. Indeed, she had been right about her assumption. She knew him, but not in the way she had hoped for. This man had crossed paths with her due to unfortunate terms and conditions. This man had been the cause and the effect. And yet, knowing what he had done to her in such an irresponsible and reckless way, she did not feel an ounce of spite toward him. Why? She should, but she didn't._

_"Ana." His husky whisper of a voice said her name and broke her from her less than tranquil thoughts._

_The way he said her name, she wasn't sure if she wanted to hit him or kiss him. Like a boat in harsh waters, she rocked back and forth between her conscious and her heart. She knew the darkness that resided in his soul, and yet somewhere light graced him from places unknown. There were two sides to him, each defined to their own. Somehow she saw and knew both. How was that possible?_

Focus,_ she told herself and tried to move her line of vision away from him, but it seemed impossible to do so with him around. Every second he drew nearer and soon only their breaths were what separated them. _

_With her back pressed firmly into the edge of the piano, Ana waited for him to make his next move. He was all too confusing. Her emotions tossed and turned like a sleepless night for him. Maybe if only for a minute she could gather her thoughts she could then rationalize what had just happened, and clearly was about to happen. However, she would never get the chance. She was paralyzed from the waist down and so was her conscious. _

_His eyes scanned every inch of her face and she noticed the deep sadness behind his own. The sad music that once filled the room now resided within him. It pained her to see him this way when she knew it shouldn't affect her at all. _

_Christian, the man's name from what she recalled, reached out his hand and brushed his thumb against her chin. He whispered, "I've missed you." _

_In that instance, she should have pushed him away. She should have shouted at him that he had no right to talk to her or touch her for that matter. He had flipped her life upside down that fateful morning. She would never be the same again and it was all thanks to him. But instead of doing the sensible thing, she ignored it all and caved into the electricity he created as his thumb slowly stroked its way up to her lower lip._

_Her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes closed as she waited for impact. She wanted to be kissed. Damn her for wanting such a thing from this man. She longed for it as he hesitated and continued to move his treacherous teasing thumb. _

_"Ana," his voice called out to her. It seemed so distant even though he stood right next to her. She reopened her eyes and hummed as he cupped her chin. "Help me."_

_What? Help him? _

_"Help me, Ana," Christian repeated. "I know you can."_

_The confidence in his voice peeked her interest higher. The longer she stayed pinned to this piano, the longer she remained confused. She needed clarity. She needed to understand why he was here and why he was dominating her in such a way that made her want to surrender herself to him. Out of all the men to be with and feel this way for, it shouldn't have been him. No, he was off limits. _

_"How?" She asked finally hearing her voice for the first time since she found herself in this unlikely situation. How wasn't the right question to ask. Why was more like it. Why should she help him? Did he deserve to be helped? She sighed because she already knew the answer. _

_"God, I've missed you." His husky tone returned and distracted her from her debate. Desperation lingered behind in the air. The magic touch of his thumb had returned, too. This time, he grazed her button lip roughly and she knew the impact was coming, and boy it did. __His mouth attached itself to hers as desire poured out of him like quicksand. Quick, urgent, and with a hint of something else, his kiss made her head spin. She knew it from the moment he approached her that it was coming, but she never imagined for it to be like this. She never imagined it for it to be so...amazing. The man knew how to kiss. Down her jawline to her neck, he kissed her wildly. _

And like every dream in the history of makeshift realms, right as things began to get good, she woke up. Her entire body was warm. Sweat dripped down her back. Her lips tingled wanting more.

That kiss. It felt real. It felt...good.

No! She couldn't think like or feel that. It was wrong. The man in her dreams and the man in the hospital bed a room over were two different people who just happened to look the same, right? She hated him. She couldn't be attracted to him. He almost killed her. Yet, the instant he touched her in her dream she melted and wanted to be nowhere else but his arms. How messed up was that?

It was just a dream, though. After everything she had been through and with Christian on her mind thanks to her mother's insistent need to punish him further, it made sense to intertwine the two into a realm beyond her control. However, the intensity of said dream was more than she bargained for.

Since she awoke from her coma, she could not remember a dream as vivid as this one. Something was different. The permanent attachment it currently had left her confused, but more so curious. It made her question her morals and intentions. It made her wonder if the unconscious man only feet away was just as endearing as the one she had dreamt of. Ana bowed her head and tried to shake the thought away, though. It wasn't healthy for her to get caught up in something that probably served no purpose but to toy with her. Her dream had been a mirage of hope to be free from her cage and immersed back into life, even if it meant in the most desirable way.

No matter the case, she had to stop replaying it in her head. The more she did, the more she wanted to be swept off her feet like that. When was the last time a man proclaimed himself to her? Her heart sunk at the thought. Jose had right before this had all happened and she had shot him down.

Maybe he was ready to be the man for her, but she would never be the girl for him. When she thought of Jose, she didn't get the butterflies in her stomach like she did for Christian. Shit, she shouldn't have butterflies at all for him either, and yet every time he popped into her thoughts she did. Seriously, she had to stop. Her only explanation for it was a misplaced feeling and it happened to be with him. The only other person who could understand what she had been through.

A soft knock on her door ripped her away from her dilemma and she was thankful for that. Maybe being lost in her thoughts wasn't a good idea after all. Maybe she needed the company to keep her distracted as long as they didn't add to her list of annoyances.

Ana groaned though wondering if her mother was back for round two. She just couldn't let it rest, could she? If her mother kept this up, she was about to press charges against her for harassment. Maybe then she would take the hint that she wasn't about to continue this thing outside of the hospital. She chuckled to herself at the thought of her mother's reaction if she were to present her with the notion. It would never really happen, but to see her challenged by her daughter on legal terms could be fun for a bit.

"Ana," the voice she had not expected to enter the room startled her as she remained still in her bed. Was it possible that she had slipped back into a dream or was Christian's fiance walking into her room? "Oh good, you're awake. I thought we could have our little chat now."Nope, she was very much awake.

As Elena closed the door behind her, a sly smirk slid across her face. Her high heels clicked against the floor and she sat down in the seat where her mother had been only minutes before. She cocked her head to the side and continued to smile as she batted her fake lashes her way. This woman was up to something. What the hell did she want?


	20. Chapter 20

\- Final Chapter -

Head hung low. Hands clasped tightly. He had resorted to the only thing he could do, pray.

With all his strength and all of his might, he focused on the only thing that had brought light back into his life. The one person who taught him how to feel again. The girl who he feared at the sake of his undoing and poor judgment prior to this point he would never see again. And so, he prayed.

He called on the higher beings to guide him home. He asked for forgiveness. He begged on bended knees for anything, whether it be life or death just to be rid from the prison of his mind. This alternate universe, a layer of his subconscious had proven to be more than he could handle alone. It was time to meet the fork in the road, and he felt it was near, but one last obstacle stood in his way.

It wasn't heaven or hell that held him up on the never ending waiting list. It was her. She would be the one to determine his fate. She would be the one to bring him home if she so pleased. Or she would be the one to let him drift off peacefully into another realm if that was how it was meant to be. His destiny was in her hands and with everything he knew, he hoped Ana would let him come home to her.

_Please let me come home to you, Ana. _

Every nerve in her body electrified with hatred. She barely knew the strikingly well-kept woman who sat across from her, and yet, Ana knew enough to not trust her. The way she sat with her back straight, breasts pushed out and swayed with careful precision told her she thought very highly of herself. If she carried a physical flaw, it could not be seen to the naked eye. Everything about her was groomed, tight, and accentuated. Nothing about this woman screamed genuine, nice, or sweet. She appeared to her as a devil in disguise. A bitch who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted, and bitch she would prove to be.

"I'm sorry. I haven't even introduced myself to you and here I am barging in." The pep in her voice was faked. "My name is Elena Lincoln. I'm, well, the the man who hit you, Christian."

_I know who you are, _Ana's thoughts snarled in the back of her mind. Thanks to Kate's almost accurate inquiry of the woman, she knew more than she had liked to know about her. She was well aware of her status and who she claimed to belong to. A man who turned her life upside down. A man who had been frequenting her thoughts like an unwanted intruder. Knowing little about her betrayer, she wondered what sort of man he really was in his conscious state. What kind of man wanted forever and ever with a woman like Elena? She cringed.

Elena's boney fingers lightly grasped her wrist and she tried to wrinkle her face in sorrow. "I just wanted to tell you how deeply sorry I am about all of this." The urge to snatch her wrist away was almost immediate, but she remained still, observant. Her eyes flickered to the large cut diamond on her ring finger. It flared under the fluorescent light and sparkled miraculously. She saw the subtle hint of a smirk as Elena caught sight of her gazing at her beloved jewel. Ana wished he hadn't.

Slowly, she retracted her hand away and brushed an invisible stray hair from her eyes as she flashed her engagement ring deliberately before her. _What gives, bitch?_

"I'm sure your parents are very happy to see you awake, as am I." She spoke almost tight-lipped. "I know I can only speak on behalf of my fiancé, but I know he never meant for this to happen. And if he were awake, he would never forgive himself. It's just been so hard not knowing if he will wake up or not, you know. He's been in a coma for so long now, I just want him to snap out of it. "

She wanted the same, but not for Elena's sake. She didn't care what she meant to Christian. All she cared about was him. Wait, she cared about him? This was a new revelation. The uneasy wave of emotions that crashed internally made her shift and she gripped the thin sheets on her bed. What in the world was going on? Christian had hit her. He had almost killed her that resulted in a medically induced coma. The only emotion she should have felt was anger, but instead her heart was half full with hope for the man. Was it wrong of her to feel and think in such a way? Or did it only prove that she was human?

"I'm sorry, I'm sure the last thing you want to hear is me blubbering about my fiancé after everything he has done to you." Elena's appearance changed drastically as a glimmer of something malicious shined in her eyes.

The last thing she wanted to hear was her refer to him as her _fiancé _one more time. She got it. They were engaged and destined to wed in holy matrimony. If she could render any strength right now, she would gladly slap her across the face. The woman was vile even if she pretended not to be.

"How are you doing, Ana?" She questioned her current state of recovery.

For the first time, she felt obliged to reply. Words needed to be formed. "I'm okay. Better than I have been." She informed her and wiped away the thought of Christian from her mind as she spoke.

"Are they treating you nicely? Have you made improvements?" Elena's inquiry was odd.

"Um, yes," Ana answered. "And I'm making small improvements, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Yeah." She licked her lips and stared at her. It was one thing for her to ask her these type of questions if she cared, but she knew she didn't. Her charade had begun to dwindle. Her true intentions crept through the cracks. "I actually work at this hospital. It's one of the best." Ana added for no apparent reason at all.

"Is that so?" Elena remarked and leaned back in her chair as she crossed her right leg over her left. "Have you ever seen such a tragic thing in your life before, as a nurse, of course?"

She had seen her fair share of tragedies that had come rushing into the hospital. Nothing prepares you for that moment until it happens. Textbooks and television shows make it all seem so easy, but when in reality, it's nothing compared to the real thing and now she was living her own whirlwind of disaster that would hopefully mend with time.

"Sure." Ana shrugged.

"I cannot imagine ever being able to do what you do." She shook her head. Her eyes silently judged her while she did the same to her in return. _No, you couldn't. _This woman only cared about herself and her image, so there was no possible way for her to ever care for another human being in a time of need, except maybe Christian.

Elena sighed loudly and suddenly the mood in her hospital room shifted. "You must be a very smart girl," she concluded. "I mean you are a nurse at one of the best hospitals after all. They don't just accept anyone."

Okay, where was she going with this?

"So, with that being said, I'm sure you'll understand what I'm about to say to you." She didn't miss a beat. Her shoulders rose and her back straightened once more. The mask of the dotting woman of the man who had hit her melted away. Not even makeup could hide how ugly she was. "I'm not an idiot. I know you're wondering why on earth I'm sitting here talking to you. I'm even sure that you possibly could care less about my fiancé and I, but I need to know something."

"Know what?" Ana asked.

"That you meant what you said to your mother about not pressing charges." And there it was. The bombshell she had carefully crafted and waited to drop on her. "Please forgive me for eavesdropping, but I couldn't help but overhear your conversation earlier. Your mother can be very boisterous with her opinions."

"No offense, but what my mother and I talk about is none of your concern." She snapped.

"That's where you're wrong." Elena had begun to play with her engagement ring on her finger. "It does concern me. While I would never want to persuade you against not pressing charges, I want to make something clear to you."

The bitch was very much present.

"Christian and I come from a different world than you. We have an image to protect. Assets to maintain." Her speech was well rehearsed. "Imagine a man like Christian being sent away when he has the potential of doing so much. This city needs him. I need him."

This was no desperate plea on behalf of a grief-stricken woman. This was her bargaining for the sake of her image, his, and the millions of assets they had obtained in their power surge. If the roles were reversed, the last thing Ana would make note of is all the business transactions her so called fiancé could make in a lifetime. The essential part of what connected two people had gone missing from Elena's heart, or it had never been a piece of the puzzle at all. What she asked for was not based on love, but on materialism.

"Please, don't make him a victim because of a stupid mistake." Elena asked her.

A tiny pot of hot water boiled inside her and her claws begged to be freed. No longer wanting to hold back, she plucked the courage to face the woman who now challenged her. "With all due respect, I think the only victim here is me. Your fiancé was the one who hit me, and while his impaired judgment may have been a stupid mistake, it doesn't change anything."

"Oh dear, I'm not saying you're not a victim." She smiled and touched her wrist again. "I'm just saying, don't you think he's suffered enough?"

The answer was yes, but that did not mean she was keen on the way she perceived the situation. Ana bit her tongue to prevent her from cursing her out for being so unsympathetic toward her. The longer she spent time with this woman, the more it made her red hot with anger.

"Let me just cut to the chase." Her long fingers slid away from her warm skin. She licked her plump, lip-glossed lips and looked her dead in the eye. "I know I cannot change any of this. I know that you have every right to hate my fiancé and to press charges against him, but I'm willing, off the record, to work with you."

"Work with me?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Let's say, settle this if you will," Elena replied.

"Settle?"

"I'm willing to come to an agreement with you. We will get it in writing and I would be more than happy to accommodate you with making sure all of your medical expenses and then some will be paid for. How does that sound?" She proclaimed her proposition.

That's what this came down to. She wanted to buy her silence and assure her precious image she had worked for would not be tainted. Elena Lincoln was a real class act.

"I don't want your money." Ana sneered.

"And I don't want you ruining my life or Christian's, so I think the decision is simple." For the first time, her voice went unpleasant.

"If you heard anything that my mother and I discussed, you would know that I have no intention of pressing charges, so why would I want to settle with you?" She asked in an equally unpleasant tone and crossed her arms across her chest.

With her head cocked to the side, she responded, "Because you say that now, but after you give it some thought and realize how miserable your life is due to your accident, you'll want justice." Elena said confidently as if she knew her. "You will seek revenge and I just can't have that, nor can Christian."

"I've already given it enough thought."

"Look, I'm trying to be nice here. I'm trying to make this work for all parties involved. Whether Christian wakes up or not, I rather not have you disgracing his image or name." She explained. "Because of who he is and who we are, people will approach you. They'll want to know things and I'm more than willing to make sure that you don't say anything. So, do we have a deal?"

"And what makes you think that I want to say anything at all?" Ana retaliated. "No offense, but I could give two shits to who you are and who he is, so you can keep your money."

"Dear, I don't think you understand who you are dealing with." Her words turned ugly just like her.

"I think I know enough." She barked. "I think you better leave before I call security or worse, I press charges against you for harassment."

_Two could play this game, honey. _The wave of pure outrage burned behind her eyes. She watched as her Botoxed face grew tighter. If, for one second, she thought she would stoop so low to a settlement based on what was most likely fear, she proved to be the only fool between the two. Ana knew better than to agree to such an outlandish request. Her signature did not need to fall into the hands of that woman, nor did her money need to occupy her bank account. She wanted nothing to do with her, ever.

"Well, if you change your mind. You know where to find me." Elena stood as she brushed her hands against her skin-tight pants. If her hair was any longer, she would have tossed it over her shoulder as she strutted out of her room like the floor was on fire. She made no effort to close the door quietly as it slammed shut. A sign that showed she was not satisfied with her quest.

Ana leaned her head back and puffed out a hot breath of frustration and slight exhaustion. What did Christian see in her? Besides her evident attractive appearance, she did not have one redeeming quality about her. Many years of entitlement and living in the rich shadows of her father, from what Kate had told her, proved to have created a monster. One in heels and equipped with a permanent checkbook to rid her of all her problems. Money solved everything in her eyes, but not this time. She would keep true to her word. She would not press charges against Christian, but one part of her argument did not hold true. While she did not care who Elena was, she did care who he was, even if she did not want to. Like a song on repeat, he continued to cloud her thoughts over and over again.

As she closed her eyes, she welcomed the exhaustion from the day's events. She dwelled on Elena's attempts and loathed the thought of her. She cringed at the idea of her and him together. The man from her dreams did not belong with the woman like that. He could not possibly love someone so vile, manipulative, and self-centered as her. But he had to, otherwise that expensive rock on her finger would not be there.

Confused by reality and her constructed assumptions of a man she did not know, she drifted back to the world that had created him for her.

Hours continued to come and go as he sat on the edge of his hospital bed and stared at the mirror image of himself. She had made it seem so simple. She made everything easy, and when he needed her the most, she was nowhere to be found.

Christian placed his head in hands as a stream of tears fell from each eye. No matter what he did, he remained stuck and he knew exactly why. He had known it for awhile, but it had begun to test his limits. "Come on, Ana!" He shouted into his hands. His decision-maker had not made her move yet. The girl he loved was still mute, and he wished more than anything for her to acknowledge him. His fate balanced on a thin rope. If he fell one way, he would land back into the world he had come from. If he fell the other way, he did not know who or what would greet him, but he knew then he could at least take his final bow.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you," he whispered. "I will always remember you."

Like a dying rose, the petals fell one by one in slow motion. He sensed something was near, but he did not what that meant for his fate.

"Please, Ana," Christian wiped his hands from his face and looked up to the ceiling. "Let me come home or let me die. Don't leave me here."

Limbo was a scary place. It toyed with your emotions, your sanity and his was on the brink of never coming back. Desperation coursed through him like a constant current. He placed his hand over his heart and closed his eyes tight. In his final hope to call out to her, he asked, "I can handle death, but I can't handle you hating me forever. All I ask is that you forgive me. Forgive me for what I have done."

Forgiveness was all he needed and he knew once he had that, his soul would be free.

Groggy from sleep, Ana blinked a few times to make sure she was not dreaming anymore. Unlike the dream she had before, this one was much different. All she saw were colors and lights. A distant voice called out to her, one she knew. One she had only heard in her dreams. Was it? It couldn't be. Could it?

"Good evening, Ana." Her nurse chimed as she entered her room in a rather good mood. "How are you doing?"

She responded with a faint smile that indicated she was her usual self. All the aches and pain included. As her nurse went about her daily routine and check-in, Ana pushed herself up and peered out the door. The heavy clicks of Elena's heels were what caught her attention first as her figure came into view in the hallway. Her thumb furiously tapped her cell phone screen and the volume of her ringtone blared for all to hear. She shouted something into her phone as she stormed off and out of sight.

"I told that woman no cell phones," the nurse mumbled to herself.

Whatever drew Elena's attention away from Christian's room had suddenly sparked an idea that stemmed from her bizarre dream. After the conversation she had with the nasty woman, she knew she needed to distance herself from the matter as much as she could. As the days passed by, she continued to get better and made her one step closer to never having to see Elena or Christian again. But there was still unfinished business between them. Something needed to be done. Something that would settle her thoughts and her peace of mind.

"Is it possible that I could sit for awhile in my chair? I've been in bed all day." Ana asked as she batted her lashes toward the nurse.

"It's late, Ana," she replied as she marked something on her chart.

"Please, I know you're about to make a shift change, so all you have to do is help me out of this bed and let the night shift nurse deal with me when I'm ready to get out it." Her proposition seemed fair.

The hesitation in the nurse's face was apparent, but she rolled her eyes and set down her chart. A part of her knew she was an exception to some things when it came to following the protocol. The special treatment was nothing to brag about, however, it did have its perks when she needed them the most.

As she ungracefully swung her legs over the side of the bed, she latched on to the nurse's arm for support and stepped down onto the cool tiled floor. The sensation felt good compared to the warmth her feet felt underneath the sheet most of the day. Her legs wobbled only slightly this time as she took small steps before her butt planted firmly in the mesh fabric of the wheelchair. Step one had been completed of her mission.

"Could you wheel me over to the doorway? I like to watch as people pass in the hall." She requested.

Her nurse positioned her and she walked around the front of her with her hands on her hips.

"Now don't go all Hulk on me and try to think you can get up from this chair on your own." Her tone lacked the sarcasm it should have with the comments she made. "The last thing I need is for you to fall and hurt yourself because I let you get out of bed this late at night."

"It's seven o'clock." Ana noted.

"I mean it." She pointed her finger at her. "Someone will be in to check on you in about an hour. Maybe you'll get a show next door. Lord knows that woman has a knack for the dramatics."

Ana stifled a laugh as she knew she had been referring to Elena. Apparently, everyone knew of her true colors. It wasn't hard to miss. She felt far superior to anyone who worked or resided here. All she cared about was herself and sometimes for the man who laid in a hospital bed who she claimed to love.

The moment the nurse departed her room, she gripped the rubber wheels of her chair, and slowly, but surely moved closer to the threshold. Just the small distance she traveled proved to be tiresome. She leaned forward and looked left to right as a passing body roamed down at the end of the hall. As if disappeared into a room, she knew this was her chance. She needed to make it the length of ten-floor tiles before she could breathe right again, and so, she made a break for it.

The palms of her hands steered the wheels forward as her arms pushed with every ounce of strength. She gritted her teeth as she glided from one room to the next without being seen. With the little momentum she had, she wheeled farther and deeper into Christian's room than she had wanted. She tugged on the wheels to stop before she came crashing into the wall. A laugh mixed with heavy breaths escaped her as she stared at the white wall that could have ruined it all for her. Thankfully, she has been quick enough not to cause a commotion.

Once she felt energized again, she swiveled back toward the door and shut it. Over her shoulder, she gazed at the wires, machines, and the bandages that covered the man she had come to see. It was time to finally face him and what he had done. She could not spend another second across the hall from him when so much needed to be said. Her thoughts and feelings needed to be freed from the depths of her soul, and she knew no nurse, family member, friend, or even the conniving bitch of fiancé would let her willingly. This was the only way she could and as the situation presented itself only moments before, she knew she needed to act fast.

As she inched closer to him, she felt her body quiver. To be so close to the man who almost determined her fate was overwhelming. To finally see him like this made it all real.

She stopped her wheelchair parallel to his bed. Quietly, she observed him. Every scratch, bruise, and exposed part of him she memorized. Unlike the flawless man in her dreams, Christian did not appear the same. His skin was dry. His hair was wild and underneath all the layers of gauze and hospital sheets, he remained silent. But somehow despite his shattered appearance, he was beautiful, just as she had dreamt of him. Her eyes hovered on his parted lips and she instantly wetted hers remembering the kiss they shared from her dream.

_What are you doing, _she screamed inwardly. She hadn't come here to judge him like a beauty pageant. Nor had she come to rekindle the thought of her fucked up dream. She had come to confront him. She had a few things she needed to get off her chest and as she brought back her real intentions, the hatred toward him returned.

"Hi, I'm Ana," She spoke softly. Her fingers intertwined nervously as she stared at him. "You don't know me, but I'm the girl you hit. I'm the girl that you almost killed."

She fell silent as she gathered the right words to say as if she spoke to the conscious version of him.

"It's really shitty what you did." Ana bowed her head. Tears threatened her surface. "I didn't deserve this."

A tear slid down her cheek. The emotions were raw and uncanny. Everything she had kept locked away floated up and out of her mouth.

"I know I don't know you. I know what you did may not have been intentional, but it doesn't change the fact that I lost two weeks of my life because of you and I'll never get any of that back. " She bit down on her lip hard. "You put my family and friends through hell. You put me through hell. "

Ana wiped the tears from her eyes.

"My life was finally looking up. I got an amazing job. I moved in with my best friend." She paused to reflect. "And now, I don't know what's going to happen to me. I don't know how long it will take to be normal again. I want to feel normal. I don't want people helping me. That's my job. God damn it!"

The rhythm of feet echoed outside the room and she muffled her cries into her hands. The last thing she need was for someone to check on her or him.

"And then," Ana hesitated to let her words flow. What she wanted to say she feared would be heard, so she lowered her voice. "On top of all of this, I feel something for you. I feel pity. I feel sympathy. I feel things I shouldn't be feeling for a man who put me in a coma. How fucked up is that?"

She chuckled.

"Maybe I really did hit my head hard in the accident because no one in their right mind should be fantasizing about the person who almost killed them, right?"

As she continued to talk, she could feel a weight being lifted off her shoulders. "I hate you," she stated as her eyes adjusted to something on the wall. "And while I've never be able to forget what happened to me, I need to move on and so do you."

Her eyes flickered back to him.

"I don't know what God has planned for you, but you can't stay like this forever. You need to make a choice. I did, I guess." There was no explanation as to why she woke up. Everyone said she was a fighter, but that didn't guarantee anything. She could only hope the same for him. "I don't know what's holding you back in there, but I hope whatever it is let's go. No one deserves to be like this, even if you did it to yourself."

Unsure what caused her to make her next move, she let out a shaky breath as she reached for his hand. It felt odd as she wrapped her fingers around his large hand and she stroked it delicately. The words she knew she needed to say in order to move on fumbled to come out. Why was this so hard?

"Christian," his name danced off her tongue. "I need to forgive you. I want to forgive you, but I also want to forget you. Once they release me from the hospital, I want to be free from this memory and this is the only way for me to do. So, I forgive you."

Her tiny hand shook against his.

"And I hope somehow, wherever you are in there, you hear that," Ana whispered.

She lowered her head as it touched the exposed part of the bed. It cushioned her forehead as she closed her eyes and began to pray. The amount of mercy she showed him felt right. Despite all the bad he had caused, she knew of the pain he suffered from as he lived out his days in blank spaces and unknown places, just like she had once. And without knowing what path he would take, she only hoped that in the end, God would show him mercy too.

As she took her final moments with him, she raised her head and let go of his hand, but midway through her action she stopped. His index finger flinched. She swore it had, but something told her that she had imagined it. That her movement had caused the illusion of his finger to twitch. Today had been more than she could handle and now it was messing with her head again.

Ana removed her hand completely from his and leaned back in her chair. She turned it to face the door when she felt every nerve in her body halt once more. The tiny short breaths to her left were not her imagination. Her eyes gradually followed up his body and to his mouth, where movement could be seen. In coma patients, it was common to see slight movements as the body continued to live and function, but this was different. This wasn't mindless muscle movements. This was a reaction. Her skills as a nurse kicked in and she began to observe him closely and the monitor he was hooked up to. There were spikes in his steady lines. Good spikes and she turned her wheelchair back toward him.

"Christian?" She said his name.

The flutter of his eyelashes startled her and she gasped as she covered her mouth. Was this really happening? Had what she said somehow got to him? She watched as the curved lines on the monitor became more prevalent.

A low, horrifying noise came from this mouth as he struggled to breathe or speak, she wasn't sure which one. The morbid part of her wondered if she was about to watch the man work his way back to the surface only to code in the end. She hoped not.

"Christian." His name passed her lips and this grew a response from him. He knew his name.

As his lips twitched, she leaned in and listened. If he was choking or having trouble breathing, she would need to call a nurse and fast, but he wasn't doing either. His rough attempt was forming a word, a name to be exact, and as it uttered out of his mouth, her heart fell into her stomach.

"Ana."

\- THE END -

(I posted a sequel to this story. It's title, "State of Confusion".)


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